Yesterday...

...Was amazing! In fact I am still so exhausted from it that I am just posting photos, as I just can't be using my brain too hard right now in describing the day! Let's just say, it went well and I had a brilliant time! I was given so much stuff!
My late Christmas and Birthday presents from Saffy (so many gifts, and all amazing! That girl knows me so well!)


Lots of (vegan and glittery!) cake, homemade quiche and gifts from my vegan fair buddy Heidi who came to visit all the way from Coventry, England (not far from my hometown... still find it weird saying 'England' as it's only a couple of hours drive from Cardiff!).Heidi is awesome... and a fellow Twilight fan! She has flights booked to go to Seattle and Forks soon!


And yummy cakes galore from Sam! (Who hosted her own wonderful stall!) I didn't get a picture unfortunately, as once Sam gives me cake I eat it... fast!

I love these three... and to have them all in one place was so lovely and so much fun... I'm so lucky!



Afterwards, some of us went to Wok to Walk... Kev, Sam, Heidi, Mikee and I. I haven't been to Wok to Walk for ages, and it was nice to eat out with friends... a rare occurence for me!



The bit where the camera goes 'up'?! Where I nearly fell off the edge of the bench (you can hear Kev and I laugh hysterically).

Pictures from Vintage Pretty Fayre #1 - The sellers.

Day #17 - An art piece.

* Again, it's a two in one day, so busy yesterday I didn't have time to blog!*
I love Sylvia Ji's work... I so wish I looked like one of her paintings!

Day #16 - A song that makes me cry.

I really can't think of one... it changes all the time, depending on life. So here's a piece of music that always moves me.

Tattoos n Hair... eugh, that sounds gross!

Without meaning to be self-indulgent, I am going to do a post on my tattoos next week, aswell as one on the birds nest that is my hairstyle. I am rather heavily tattooed and have never really 'introduced' my tattoos to my lovely blog readers yet (that's you) so I think I may well do next week.

Recommended watching.

Nick Broomfield's early documentary Tattooed Tears. I found it really interesting, although harrowing. I also found some of the prison guards to be totally wrong in how they treated the inmates (ie. fellow human beings), had they never heard of showing people respect? I also recommend Nick Broomfield's two documentaries on Aileen Wuornos. Obviously without a doubt, what she did was awful (killing 7 men), but to see Nick's interviews with her and to hear all about the case, it seems clear that Aileen had a terrible upbringing and a horrendous life generally. This does not justify her actions, but it does give you some things to think over. The way the American 'Justice' system failed her too, you can't help but feel a little (if just a minute) bit of feeling for her.

RPattz and KStew - Official!

I think I'm pretty late on this but whoa... it's awesome! I have to admit I did feel a little sad knowing they are together in 'real life' (I don't even fancy Robert Pattinson... much) but I do think it's awesome! I feel like a 16 year old girl again! *Cue mad screaming*

Day #15 - A Fanatic.

Is what I am pretty much! I don't just like things, I love them. I become obsessed with them. And they make my heart warm and fuzzy and all passionate feeling. Here are just some of the objects of my fanatic affection...

* Have been so busy, am a day late with my 'Day #' posts, so you get two today ;)

Day #14 - A Non-Fiction book.

AKA The Book That Changed My Life (and helped me make my decision to go Vegan finally).

Eeeeeek... another lost follower!

mean non-followy person!

Dear Robyn...

I am sorry for being lame. Your parcel is all packaged and ready to make it's journey to Canada... I promise! (Have also popped a little something extra in as way of apology for my lameness).
Love Maria x

Herrrr (as in hair).

I may do a post on my hair. Or not. Because I have very flat and shoulder length hair. Oh, and a few dreads. (I'm just letting my hair do what it wants in the hope I will finally have real dreads, like I've always wanted). Anywho, I use extensions every day pretty much, so I may just list how I get my 'big' hair. I don't know though... as it doesn't take much skill or time to get my 'look'. Hmmm, so perhaps there will be a hair post. Perhaps.

Venue changes and lots more stuff to do.

Yesterday was a tad stressful. But it worked out even better so I can't complain!

Basically... I emailed the venue for my Fayre this week, just to check everything was still going ahead (as I hadn't been informed otherwise). I received an email back from another Manager (nice of the actual Manager I dealt with to get someone else to do his dirty work...) there, asking me to call him the next day. This spooked me and I was starting to think something was up... So I replied to the email asking if the plans were still okay. I got an email back at 12.30am (I guess they would be there that late as it is a bar/pub) telling me they had to move the Fayre downstairs to the bar. And asking me how many sellers we had coming and how much "time we would need". This set alarm bells ringing, as this had all been talked about in depth with the other staff, and the idea of having a 9 seller fayre with around 200 confirmed guests (on facebook) in the downstairs bar where rugby fans would be drinking... well, that's a rubbish idea. Especially when I had booked the upstairs function room around two months earlier and paid a £50 deposit.

As it was so late at night, I waited until the next day to give the Manager a call. After a lot of umming and aahing, he finally got round to that they wanted to tell me: that they didn't want to host the Fayre. With three days notice. By this time I had already guessed as much, and even if they had wanted to go ahead, I wouldn't have been happy with the way they had messed me around. I wasn't rude, but I made it clear what an inconvenience it all was. What really bugged me was that I had booked months in advance, paid a deposit and discussed via email and face-to-face, but NOW I was being told that a local rugby team and their supporters would be coming in, and basically we were getting pushed out for them. The manager was obviously trying to get me to book them again, he seemed really desperate to 'save' the situation (probably helped that I said we had so many confirmed guests and more guests mean more spent at the bar!) and even offered a free drink for each guest and free flyer printing. But I really wasn't interested after being messed around, and I still didn't know if I would have to cancel the whole day.

Anyway, I agreed to go up town to get the deposit back after work, after much apologising from the Manager. I thought it was pretty nasty of the Manager I had booked it with to pass such a task over to somebody else. Oh well. So, I got straight to work on booking another venue! I didn't want to cancel, for so many reasons! I called Mikee's good friend who works at another popular bar in town (that we occasionally drink at when we venture out socially!) and left a voicemail mesage. I then rang the bar itself and explained the situation. As it was such short notice, they said they would get back to me. So all I could do was cross my fingers! All this was going on while I was at work, so I was little stressed (though not too much, I don't get overly stressed... I tend to just go into problem solving mode!). Luckily the other venue called back soon after and confirmed it was all okay! And as the bar wouldn't be open upstairs (due to the short notice and therefore lack of staff to man it) the fee would be the same price as the original (crappy!) venue. The only glitch was that it was non-refundable, but hey, we didn't have to cancel, so that was a small price to pay! (Literally, as myself and the sellers had all chipped in a little each!)

I was so stoked that we had managed to find a new venue. Buffalo Bar is literally doors down from the original (shitty!) venue, has a better reputation, looks better (all vintage, ornate and lavish decorations... very Vintage Pretty!) so I am so pleased! The upstairs (where we will be) is huge, which means we can have over double the amount of sellers! I am now so thankful that The Promised Land (grrr!) cancelled us, as Buffalo Bar is sooo much better! I only chose TPL as I had seen the upstairs when we went on our Christmas work meal, and thought it would be cool. Also because there is already a monthly event at Buffalo called Buffalo Boutique, which sells vintage clothing and accessories.

So after all of this, I popped into town after work yesterday, retrieved my deposit and walked a few doors down to Buffalo, where I paid them and had a look around. Phew! I then had lots to do on Facebook, letting the sellers know of the changes, changing the event and group pages and putting the word out there for more sellers! I had loads of people interested in selling before when we were in TPL but I had had to put them on the next events list as there just wasn't the space for them. So it was lovely to get back in touch with them and offer them the chance to take one of the extra spaces! Luckily some of them could accept! Though I could totally understand the ones that couldn't due to short notice!

So now it is all on again I have lots to do with the actual event planning itself, not forgetting that I am selling as Dolly Dearest there myself. So some late night making over the next few days I think!

Day #13 - A fictional book.

This one is quite a vague one... What about a fictional book?!

Anyway, I thought I would choose a book that I own, really want to read and think is awesome. Except I haven't read it yet, as I find it just so hard to get into! The writing is very unique and I'm sure once I get into it, I will be just as impressed as everyone else (it's quite the cult book), but I just don't find it the easiest book to pick up and read!

I heard of this book, as one of my favourite bands of all time is named after the main character/storyteller: Johnny Truant. Strangely not long after I found that out, I came across the actual book in a charity shop. It's a big heavy book, and I was so excited to have come across it!

Insanely busy right now...

So here's a quick post, with some music I'm loving.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Problems with this Saturday's venue... shit, I hope I don't have to cancel or postpone! *Fingers crossed*

Day #12 - Whatever tickles my fancy.

* I was gonna post this anyway, but thought I may as well include it in my Day #12 post, as it does kind of tickle my fancy! I like Kristen anyway (unlike Sam, tehe) but I really like this picture, and I think she looks stunning! In the awkward way that I love anyway!

Busy busy dolly.

My fayre is coming up this Saturday, I'm super excited and also really hopeful that it is busy! Fingers crossed!

So this week is busy busy getting my stock ready for the fair, as my own Dolly Dearest will be having a stall there (it's kinda the main point of hosting a fair in Cardiff! But obviously it's to help out the other crafty people too... and have an awesome shopping fair in Cardiff city centre to attend, as there are no others). I rarely show pictures of my new creations (that sounds overly grand!) but I was pleased with a few of the journals I did last night, so thought that I would put them in this post!

The cute bear patch was actually brought off the Moonbear table at the Birmingham Cruelty-Free Xmas Fair I sold at, all money they make goes towards this amazing cause: www.animalsasia.org


I am super excited about two parcels I am waiting for! The first is 250 personalised Dolly Dearest business cards I ordered, along with a free tote bag (with the logo on) and a swanky little business card holder. Hehe, I'm not much into the film, but that just made me think of the business card scene in American Psycho.
The second is a large order of cameos and brooch/necklace settings from Canada. I spent around £80 on supplies from an amazing jewellery supplies site, and can't wait to start making! I haven't done this kind of jewellery before, but the supplies I have brought are so pretty and I've not seen a lot of them around before! I love getting parcels!

Day #11 - A photo of me taken recently.

Oh hai.

Weekend pictures.

On book 4 right now, and am totally obsessed with True Blood! Just wish these covers had been released sooner so my collection (so far) matched! I love these promo shots!


The AMAZING pizza Mikee made last night... Tofutti cheese slices, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, tomato puree... all on a pizza base Mikee made! Tasted gorgeous!

The vegan grilled panini I had in town... Cheatin' ham slices (5 of them!), rocket, balsamic sauce and (again!) Tofutti cheese slices that we added! Yum!

When Heidi met (some of) the cast of New Moon.

My awesome friend Heidi, at the Eternal Twilight Convention this weekend! Jealoussss!


Jamie Campbell Bower: Caius (Volturi)


Kiowa Gordon: Embry (part of the Wolfpack)


Charlie Bewley: Demetri (Volturi)