Comics and Music with the Small Faces (and Regular!) Ian McLagan.

Ian "Mac" McLagan is the king of the British rock keyboard, and he's been in the business since the early sixties, when he backed up blues legends like Howlin' Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson. He joined the Small Faces, the consummate mod / psych-pop Brit band, in late 1965.  They hit the charts with a vengeance, scoring hits like "Tin Soldier" and "Sha-La-La-Lee" and birthing one of British rock's most beloved albums, "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake." Small Faces served as one of the standard bearers for just plain having a damn good time, until the band dissolved when singer/guitarist/Artful Dodger Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie.

The rest of the Small Faces promptly teamed up with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood as the (regular-sized) Faces and began another brilliant run, based on Rod's gravelly vocal stylings and bassist Ronnie Lane's sublime folk-tinged songwriting (Go and find some Ronnie - you won't regret it). When that band dissolved in the mid-seventies so Rod could become a full-time ponce, the Small Faces tried again briefly, but Mac began a great session career when that didn't pan out, touring and recording with the likes of the Stones, Dylan and the Everly Brothers.

Thanks again to one of the genuine diamond geezers of rock n roll for taking the time out to do this!  You can read more about Mac here: http://www.macspages.com/

But first, without further ado...

Nine Questions with Ian McLagan!

CM: You said you had a paper round as a lad and you used to pick up American comics back then; what did you read and who was your favourite? Did you ever used to read them back in the 70's as a 'boredom bus buster'? Do you still seem to find yourself keeping up to date with what's going on in the comics world; say, like seeing some of the more recent super hero films that have been released?

IM: I read Fantastic Four and The Hulk, then got the very first issue of Thor, then Spider-man etc etc. I was interested in the art as much as the stories, though I never tried to illustrate, because I wasn’t good enough at figure drawing. I never kept up with comics after that because I was learning graphic art at art school, which soon got buried by my interest in music, and then I turned professional musician, which meant I was doing it full time even though I was broke.


CM: Some of Ronnie Wood's art work seems quite pop-arty and comic book influenced; do you think Ronnie took any inspiration from comics?

IM: You’d have to ask him, but he is an illustrator, so it’s quite likely.

CM: Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Rick Wright and Brian Wilson (as a keyboard player) are some of your peers; can you tell us a little bit about what you think and how you rate them?

IM: I wasn’t so aware of Rick Wright’s playing, not really being into the Floyd, but I’ve played with Richard Manuel, and he was a very soulful singer as well as being a great pianist. I’ve met Garth a couple of times and he is a giant among keyboard players, brilliant. I saw a documentary on Brian Wilson and to see him sit at the piano playing Caroline No or any other of those early Beach boys hits, and you realise the whole arrangement is in his piano playing and voice.

Nona: As a keyboard player, who is the best at dabbling on keyboards as a secondary instrument, say like McCartney and Townshend do?
IM: Paul’s a really fine piano player, but you should hear Albert Lee, unbelievably great.

CM: In your book All the Rage, you mention the Marx Brothers.  You see bands from the60s and 70s reference them.  Should they be counted as much as an influence as some other musicans? You guys seemed like you were always up for a laugh, would you say they influenced you with their style of humour?

IM: The funniest people I’ve ever met have been musicians, and I wouldn’t have someone in my band that wasn’t amusing, because you spend so much time together you’d better be laughing because sometimes it’s all you have to keep you from going nuts! The Marx Brothers are still a major influence, as is Jacques Tati, the French actor, writer and director.

CM: American music historians indicate delta blues as the source of inspiration for the British skiffle craze.  Blues music wasn't easily obtained in the States at that time.  How did the blues get to the UK?




IM: It was much harder to find those records in the UK than in the States, I had to mail order them, but once I heard Muddy Waters I had to get my hands and ears around the music. It was, and still is an addiction.

CM: How has it been to connect with the source of blues music- perhaps when you were recording Texas?

IM: I’m outside the current blues scene in Texas, because blues players tend only to play the blues, and I play rock’n’roll as well as other genres, so I’m not the guy that gets the call.

CM: I'm a child of the 90s and Izzy Stradlin' was a major player in music when I was growing up.  You played on his album "Ju Ju Hounds".  Does Izzy take control when he's in the studio, or does he still have the laid back attitude which his image suggests?

IM: He does, but he’s straight ahead and focused, and quite easy going at the same time. Not a stressful situation by any means.

CM: Your band The Muleskinners backed up Howlin' Wolf on his UK tour in 1964-65.  What was it like to be part of Howlin' Wolf's backing band?  And how did that come about?

IM: The Muleskinners were booked by the Marquee Agency, who organised The Wolf’s tour of the UK, and there were several bands they had who backed some of the great bluesman, but we just got lucky, and backed him and Hubert Sumlin on one show, and he liked us so we did a couple more, which led to us backing Sonny Boy Williamson on a couple, and Little Walter Jacobs once as well. The Wolf was very kind to us, and Hubert too was very sympathetic and warm to us. The Wolf was nothing like his frightening on stage persona, he was really sweet to us, put his large arms around us and said, ‘My Boys’.

32,000 Year-Old Plant Brought Back To Life!

A report released today reveals that a Russian team of scientists have discovered a collection of flowering seeds which were native to Siberia, which had been buried by an Ice Age squirrel!

Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the seeds were 32,000 years old.

The seeds which had been encased in ice, were unearthed from 38 meters below the permafrost, retained viable plant material.

According to a new study, the team extracted tissue from the frozen seeds, placed it in vials, and successfully germinated the plants. The plants grew and produced seeds themselves after a year.

This new study suggests that permafrost could be a "depository for an ancient gene pool," a place where any number of now extinct species could be found and resurrected.

Some scientists say regenerating seeds that have been frozen at 19 degrees Fahrenheit  for so long could have major implications on biodiversity, but insight gained on seeds which have been frozen and how to thaw, and sprout them could be very valuable in saving plant species which are on the brink of extinction.

We Are All Gunmen....

Listen to THIS!!!!!

Written by Simon Friend from the Levellers, one the best songs I have come across in many years.

Lyrics to stand by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jclSQ41NQCc

We Are All Gunmen


No politicians, just compasion
Celebrity, its out of fashion
Innocence dont take a thrashin'
On the playground floor.

Constable paints awesome skies,
Intead of macing suspects eyes
Bankers pay is justified
and all nations come in peace.

We are gunmen all,
the guardians of the watch tower;
Lighting up the beacons
to bring our riders home

We are gunmen all,
the guardians of the watch tower;
Lighting up the beacons
to bring our riders home

Sun rises on the village green
Not digitised on a flat screen
Lovers kisses can be seen
Darkness holds no fear

Everyone drinks socially;
Not because they're crippled emotionally
and all our sleep is trouble free
wrapped up in caring arms

We are gunmen all,
the guardians of the watch tower;
Lighting up the beacons
to bring our riders home

We are gunmen all,
the guardians of the watch tower;
Lighting up the beacons
to bring our riders home

Our hopes are old and dressed in rags
The faded colour of many flags
and the, broken metal of our tags;
keeps this dream alive

Well, mistrust could never last
The future lives and not the past
We are only shadows cast
just trying to hold on

We are gunmen all,
the guardians of the watch tower;
Lighting up the beacons
to bring our riders home

A World United... Monsanto OUT!

May the 25th 2013: over forty countries, hundreds of protests and an estimated over two million people made a stand against food cultivators Monsanto - a company already banned from many countries, but which are still operating in both the UK and the USA.

A business which claims their research into agriculture could be revolutionary - letting farmers grow more, and faster.

But at what cost?

Genetically modified plants are grown from seeds which are engineered to not only resist insecticides and herbicides, but contain added nutritional benefits and increase the global food supply.

Research studies have shown that Monsanto’s genetically-modified foods can lead to serious health conditions, such as the development of cancer, infertility, birth defects and is thought to be a possible cause for the increase of developmental disorders and illnesses like Parkinsons disease. There are loopholes in the laws due to the fact that these foodstuffs are grown from seed.

Now I'm not going to tell anybody what to eat... nor am I going to come on all militant regarding this, as it is none of my business what goes past your lips.

However, I do believe everyone has the right to know what we are actually eating, and if that product contains genetically modified produce and therefore is a health risk. The environmental consequences could be disastrous; GMO effects our biodiversity, making a serious impact, killing wildlife and being a potential catalyst for cross pollination of crops.

Many countries have banned GM produce, as they cannot sell it.

At any rate...

I was one of those millions.

I've done a total of six hours travelling today, to join my nearest protest, where I met a lot of interesting people from all walks of life:

A scientist who worked for Monsanto in Argentina, and witnessed first hand the damage it can do.

Microbiologists, Farmers, Doctors, Students, the young and the old alike.

People willing to speak out, using their professional experience, about concerns and the possible dangers that we are being unwittingly led into.

My usual routine, first thing in the morning is this: running late. Today was no different, so I called a cab to get to the nearest tram stop. On the journey, the usual cabby / passenger chitchat occurred... so it came out where I was heading.

The cabby told me that he admired people like me as I was going out of my way to make a stand.
He was in full agreement with my motivation for going; he didn't want to eat GMO, and said if there had been a protest in Manchester, he would have probably joined in.
But then if the football wasn't on, and so forth...
Due to the length of my journey, I had plenty of opportunity to reflect on this.

It's a great shame that society may agree with something and have some serious opinions on these things, yet this man's voice, for instance, would never get heard as speaking out just would not take priority if it meant doing anything which wasn't everyday routine.

So joining your local Occupy movement might not be for you; getting off your arse in any shape or form might not be for you, but if you are reading this you have one of the best resources of our time at your fingertips:

The Internet.

STAY INFORMED. You get to keep abreast of the facts - facts that our governments won't necessarily tell us. Moreover, at present many of us are not asking for them! Nevertheless, the answers are there to be found.

With a quick internet search, you can find independent research on such matters like Monsanto; google the pictures.

I dare you!

So what's the one thing we all do??

We have to buy food. The best way is to vote is with your dollar, buying organic and boycotting Monsanto owned companies using GMOs in their products.

I hope this has shed some light on the name MONSANTO, which I'm sure many of you have come across today in some way or another...

Take up the torch and find out more. It's your right, and might well mean your health. Or your childrens.

RIP Ray Manzarek

This evening, I learned of the passing of The Doors' keyboard player, Ray Manzarek.
He passed away this morning in Germany after suffering bile duct cancer.

I'm truly saddened by this news; when you read about the death of a public figure, you often feel that it's a shame, and you feel sad for their family, especially when they have left a legacy that means something to you. But the death of Ray feels like losing a personal friend. I feel sad for his family and those who he was close to - but I also feel sad for myself!!

I don't buy into the ''celeb grief mentality'' syndrome, but this time when I say I'm gutted, I am.

The Doors' music has been with me since I was eleven years old; losing myself in the heady melodies and rolling riffs has got me through some of the toughest times in my life.

Their music has grown up with me and has defined some of the key moments of my life, such as hitting puberty and noticing boys for the first time. (Jim)

My father died... and I found solace and comfort within their music, rather than trying to make sense of the concept of sudden death going around your head - and being told by a religious figure that my father was needed for greater things...

Yeah right; FUCK YOU!

but from that moment I realised that all I needed to get through in life was rock n' roll... and to a certain extent, that is still true:

Sneaking into the cinema for my first 18 certificate film, dancing my socks off in the aisles, along with my two best girlfriends, what a wonderful experience.

Teenage years of  getting high with friends; you could ride those organ notes...

Introductions to classic writers and philosophy.

Lusty nights of young romance.

Pilgrimages to European cities.

and then you get a little older and a tad more sophisticated, and you start to notice the sheer brilliance of the musicianship; Ray held it together by holding down that bass line - and keeping it rhythmically tight with John - while from his tactile right hand, the melodies flowed.

I can still lose myself in the music of The Doors  - and do so on a regular basis. I got to see Ray and Robbie play twice; once was a stadium gig, the other a much smaller venue, and each time they blew me away.

When I had just left school, Ray recorded the Myth and Reality double CD where he talked about his time at UCLA, the Blues, Leather Trousers, Beat Poetry and growing up with the Blues and Jazz.

Ray was for real.... he was the nineteen-sixties spirit that I longed to try to get a feel for, and nothing came closer  to that than listening to Ray Manzarek talk.
For myself and kids all over the world, he made it possible to get a feel for what things might have been like.

Whether The Doors are your thing or not, Ray undoubtedly was one of the best organists to define a generation.

Thank you for the good times Ray!

Though you are no longer on earth, your music and energy will flow through the millions who hold your music close every time it is being played.

Please consider leaving a donation in Ray's name by donating to: www.standup2cancer.org

R.I.P 1939-2013

Winsor is awesome!

This blog is about one of my best buddies, this is not the first blog where he has been mentioned.

This blog is about Winsor Hemingway.

Winsor as you can see is my ginger cat.

Over our life time we can choose to share our lives with many pets, and we love them all for all their quirks, but every now and again you get one that is different.

They really stand out, as they are filled with so much character.

Winsor is one of them.

Winsor has been with me from day one, born on the 1st March 2000, one day before my twenty-first birthday.

He was one of five healthy kittens born within a sanctuary, mother Tiddy was only eight months old and had already had one litter of kittens. Two of which came into the sanctuary with her. Mizanne and Snowfeet, both girls.

Winsor along with his sister Nemo, (gingers) were the biggest of the litter.
Bootlace and Shoelace (torties) and little Ted the runt of the litter (black, named after Wildcat of course!)

Over the next two weeks they were all feeding well, except when the time came to go onto solid food, Winsor just didn't ''get it''.

Mum was getting tired of hungry mouths and soon milk had all stopped. Winsor was on formula but still wouldn't accept any kind of solid food.

He watched the others, walked around it and sat in it... just he wouldn't eat it.

Winsor had become the smallest kitten of the litter, he was getting weaker.

Kerry, the vet gave him the once over and found him to have a heart murmur which she thought may be a sign that things weren't quite so well developed as we had first thought.

It was sad news, she told me not to give up, but if he wasn't eating solids within five days, then we should do the kindest thing as he was starting to waste away.

FIVE DAYS....

Getting the lovely night watchman to pop into see him and to give him some formula over night, I had to have him on solids.

It may have not been the ''offical'' way... but it was desperation and his last chance, on day five I bought the most stinky salmon patty I could find, mushed it, opened Winsors mouth and with my little finger placed a great big dollop to the back of his mouth.

It was if something hadn't been triggered in him.

Whether he was just slow on the uptake, poor scent or something else I do not know? but he demolished a whole saucer of salmon patty within minutes.

There was no stopping him once he had started, he soon gained weight and was a happy kitty once again.

It was this time where our bond grew.

Winsor; he is my cat, that's for sure... he stays with me, sits with me, and talks with me.
Ask him a question, he will answer, often with quite an indignant mew.

He was truly my number one furry baby!

But what makes Winsor so wonderful is how he has accepted the other furry friends and of course one of the biggest things, my new number one!! My son...

It didn't matter if my son was crying, shouting, or running around, Winsor takes it all within his stride and has accepted everyone and everything that has come through my door.

What has spurred me on to write this blog is the fact, I'm seeing my ginger buddy become older.
He is getting quite the grumpy old man at times.

4.30 rolls around he is there wanting his dinner.... hovering, mewing, and prowling. He scrambles up the fences and we no longer get his ''gifts''.

He doesn't like going out in the dark and spends most of the time curled up on my bed.

Shadow, one of my younger kitties has started to challenge him for superiority but so far Winsor is holding his place with dignity and laying the smack down with those six toed paws of his.

That's no laughing matter if you are on the receiving end.

So from an iffy start to life, he has grown into one of the most charismatic, handsome and stately kitties I have ever had the pleasure to share my home with.

Autism... Lets Not Be *quiet* About this

April is autism awareness month. Many of the people reading this will probably have heard me voice my opinions on the difficulties concerning those affected, and how it impacts upon their families. Autism is a HUGE disorder; there may be many similarities and certain behaviours which comprise the diagnoses, but just as how we are all unique, so are the difficulties that surround every person who suffers from this disorder. I am an autism mum! I have been for the best part of three years now -well, knowingly at least - and I can tell you, it has truly been a journey of endurance, breakthroughs, frustration, joys and disappointments. I have taken on doctors, psychologists, therapists, politicians, the NHS, the Courts and the BBC... I have stood before them all, being judged as an over-reactive mother as I merely tried to ensure that my son gets a chance. A chance to achieve his full potential; to make his life and the inherent difficulties a little easier - things you would expect from our services if your child was "neurotypical" (i.e. ''normal''. I hate labels; every child is unique and what is normal for one is not for another, so let us please just refer to children as children.) Just like the world around us, things are not fair, and despite our living in a well-developed Western country, the services that are provided are not sufficient, and those of us who choose to fight this system... ...well, we come out battle-damaged. This shouldn't be the case; regular daily living can be hard enough. Take, for example, cleaning your teeth. How long does this take you? It can take thirty to forty minutes, daily, within an autism-affected family. Now I've set the scene a little. My child is High-functioning autistic, with ADHD. He has problems with social understanding; he has gastro-inflammatory troubles; he has physical problems; obsessions, compulsions, sensory problems and learning disabilities - All of which comprise what we know as autism. I could write a manuscript on each of these things taken from our own perspective; but instead I'm going to concentrate on one specific point over a few blogs - the elements that I feel I haven't given enough insight into (again, from our perspective). If anyone has caught any of the Parent-Speaker events - unless directly asked this is something I have neglected to address. You may have read about this in the media, but sadly not from a view of dispensing helpful or useful information; more for the purposes of "hitting the headlines" for the sake of sensationalism - for example, the reports concerning the possibility and probability of vaccinations - especially the MMR vaccination program - causing a rise and/or regression in autism. Science knows there has to be the correct environment for the development of autism; this is an area science is still heavily researching, and there are many varied ''environments'' that make someone more susceptible to the disorder. BUT: There has to be a trigger. My son had a normal delivery after a traumatic gestation, and things didn't get much better during birth; I had a rare allergic reaction to the medication which the hospital had given me, resulting in the possibility of my child having been starved of oxygen. As you can see: There are already many ''possible'' triggers. Thinking back, my son had many autistic traits from birth: He was a hungry baby; a VERY HUNGRY BABY. He would not sleep - perhaps a maximum of just forty minutes at a time. He would cry; my God, would he CRY! He had "head lag" - Pick him up and his head would roll back. All this, before he was eight months old. As time went on, his developments as regards speech, walking, and so forth were not delayed to a point of concern, although it must be said  that the word-sounds that he produced first are generally facets of speech that usually would develop a little later, suggesting perhaps that some sounds could have been repressed. The time came to administer the MMR inoculation; I come from a veterinary background, therefore I am a firm believer in the good that can result from a vaccination program - and of course a quick look into the epidemiology of disease shows how we can eradicate some of the worst ailments to affect mankind. Still, I undertook my own research before committing to this program - to the point where my son had his jab a little later than he should have. Still, he was fine. Until two weeks later. We had a very QUIET night; that in itself wasn't normal for us. My son had become limp and unresponsive, so I hurried him to A & E. The medical staff were uncertain what was wrong with him - until a little later his face and neck appeared swollen. MUMPS! My son was experiencing the symptoms of mumps; he was put on a program of anti-inflammatories, given fluids and before long we could return home. Was this normal? You are told there could be a slight chance of ''mild'' symptoms. These symptoms were not mild in my opinion. At three years of age, the obsessions and compulsions started to kick in; we got ''quiet'' days, and lots and lots of stimming (Finger-thumb touching, arm flapping and vocal stims). Did the MMR contribute to symptoms, or even exacerbate them? Of course, this will be something I will never know the answer to; I hold firmly to the belief that my son was born autistic, but there is no doubt that he had some pretty big adverse reactions to the MMR vaccination program. As science progresses and research is adding further pieces to this complex jigsaw, we must ask: HOW is science working to cure the incurable disease? It is a avenue that you do not receive access to from the NHS! You won't hear many NHS clinical psychologists suggest these methods of treatment to you - unless of course YOU do the research yourself, and take it to them! This way is the BIO-MED way. Bio-med - meaning bio-medical - is a term to describe treatment from a medical viewpoint. Bio-med uses medical testing to detect things such as excessive amounts of bad bacteria in the stomach, parasites, yeast, viruses, food allergies and heavy metal toxicity. These tests then show there is any type of problem with the subject's immune system, as well as  metabolism abnormalities and biochemical imbalances, which can cause disruptions in the brain and lead to autistic symptoms. These imbalances are then corrected with various treatment options: supplements, medications, all-natural remedies, homeopathy, chelation, HBOT and special diets. Parents have reported that their child's health has been improved, as well as observing betterment regarding their focus, attention and moods, resulting in the child gaining a firm base to receive other behavioural therapy options. This Bio-med world can be daunting and overwhelming at first. Things  seem to be referred to via abbreviations; Parents sound like they talk in code and everything seem to fliy over your head. You may just want to curl up into a ball, cry and give up; however, we have allbeen there,  so please take a moment and consider: ...There are some very simple things that you can do yourself to see if your child may benefit from a bio-med approach to treatment. My first step was to look in to dietary problems - reducing cows milk and dairy in general - my child appeared suffer from a smaller amount of sickness, phlegm and stomach cramping. This then gave me an anchor I could take to my GP and request the tests needed. There are some good books out there too; here are a sampling: Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Development Disorder: A Mother’s Story of Research & Recovery by Karyn Seroussi The Boy Who Loved Windows by Patricia Stacy Changing The Course of Autism by Bryan Jepson, M.D. Healing The New Childhood Epidemics by Kenneth Bock, M.D. Children With Starving Brains by Jacquelyn McCandless, M.D. Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD by William Shaw, Ph.D. You shouldn't pursue this kind of treatment on your own - not even the specialist dietary requirements -as you need to have a good network of specialists at your disposal; but the way you can keep this form of treatment moving is with knowledge; informing yourself - which in turn helps you to take control of your child's treatment, as you can liaise with the specialists and say what is working and what is not - and talking out about it to other parents in similar situations; when you receive the blow of the diagnosis, the autism world can be a very big, lonely and scary place, which it needn't be; but sadly you cannot sit back and expect the treatment to come to you when your child needs it most. Act early!

Oh Honey Honey... I'm an Archie's Girl.

There is nothing I love more than two of my favourite worlds being brought together, and my favourite of those two worlds has to be comics and cosmetics!

MAC have done it again.

This year they a going sugary sweet with their Archie's Girls range.

Whether you are more of a Betty or a Veronica, MAC have gloriously but together pallets of such sweet shades that you could contemplate eating them.

Once you know what kind of Archie girl you are, you can start to put together your new Spring look.

I choose the Beautiful Blonde-Next-Door Betty to be inspired by: a limited-edition colour collection with soft, innocent sexiness.

Lipsticks in peaches and pinks beam bright under layers of Lipglass of girly shades.

Nail Lacquer in ''Comic Cute'' and ''Pep Pep Pep'' all to win Archie's affection.

All packaged in exclusive designs.

 

But they are pricey... so my MUST BUY from this collection has to be Archie's Girls, Pearl Glide intense eyeliner, in shade Petrol Blue... Gorgeous, and can be worn in the day for a splash of colour or blended at night for sultry smoky eyes.

This entire range from MAC is super cute and will not fail to give your make-up bag a spring perk me up!

 

It's The Cat's Meow!

 

 

This Catwoman look first appeared in Batman # 210 (1969) and was designed Frank Robbins and the Catwoman during Selinas  admittedly infrequent early to mid 1970's appearances, after which DC returned to the classic purple evening dress in Batman # 266.

So this costume has been pretty much ignored by the toy companies except for a Mego in 1974.

So presenting my first Catwoman Barbie custom!!

She was created using mostly Games Workshop products. The paints are by citadel and the blue for her legs was mixed to create the correct shade.

Her mask, collar and claws were created using the two part epoxy Green Stuff.

To add some definition to the bodice and gloves I used a high sheen gloss by Windsor and Newton which could be painted over the top of the paint and layered to create the desired effect.

The boots, buckles and glove detail were made from milliput two part epoxy.

The stand is a classic Barbie stand painted black and the cats are by Schleich and again painted black and stuck onto the base with super glue.

Her tail was a little problematic as I needed to keep it in a position where the epoxy wouldn't drop; yet enough pressure against the body to stick.

But I got it to work.

Creating a fine start to my Catwoman custom collection, the question is now...

Which one should I make next?

Sugar Sugar!

Four days into a new diet...

 

My intention was to blog about this after my first week as I'm not looking at this as the many faddy diets I've been on over the past twenty years.

 

I want this to be a lifestyle change, I'm wanting to do this to better my LIFE, not just to fit into that bikini when summer rolls around.

 

To keep myself on track I've been keeping a diary of everything that passes my lips and planning my meals: this diet was recommended to me and it's the paleo diet.

After reading a book by paleo guru Robb Wolf, the science behind this diet sold me as to why this diet works and how I could benefit from it.

Saying goodbye to breads and dairy was not a big deal as we are a household of specialist dietary needs.

BUT there is one thing that I am seriously craving and writing this blog right now is stopping me sprinting to the supermarket and gorging myself in it's sheer beauty!!

One LARGE jar of Nutella sounds like heaven. Just give me a spoon! !

My god! the craving for that stuff is strong, to wash it down with a nice icy cold fizzy glass of Coke.

Nothing finer!!!!!

WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!!

I have to say this to myself as though I believe it, I'm not past that caving in to it's lure; but how in a blue moon have I got so dependent on this stuff?

Well the answer is simple, SUGAR is in EVERYTHING, and I mean everything.... even broccoli and other veg are grown providing sweeter varieties, and this is a very dangerous game in regards to our health.

We've grown up being told ''sugar is high in calories but it’s not addictive'' but research suggests the opposite may be true.

Scientists are saying the chemicals released when we eat sugar travel along the same brain pathways that heroin does.

So taking sugary foods out of our diet triggers powerful cravings, causing us to eat up to six times more than our normal intake.

Scientists also discovered that removing sugar from the diet of rats put them into a state of anxiety, experiencing symptoms similar morphine withdrawal.

So why do we like it so much!?

Sugar stimulates the release of endorphins, this makes us feel good.
Too much on a regular basis means we become reliant and our own natural endorphins no longer quite reach the mark, we ‘need’ sugar to feel good.

Keeping this firmly in mind...

I've kept away from hard drugs in my life as it's a very slippery route, so why would I want to take the legal equivalent?

The answer is simple, I don't, just that I have been doing and the seductive lure of sticky sweet products takes hold.

Mind Games work for me:

I WANT... MY GOD DO I WANT ONE OF THESE!!

But I combine it with something I HATE... Not just HATE but TERRIFIED of:

THOSE LEGS STUCK IN THAT CREME AS I BITE INTO THAT EGG!!!

yuck.

No thank you!....

It works for all other sugary treats too.

So whilst I have been typing this my craving has passed, and I can head to bed being happy with myself that I am one step closer to not being held hostage by the seduction of this saccharine sweet- talker.

Lois' Lost (and Looney!) Luvs!!!

Ah, Valentines day! The most loved up day of the year. When every lady sees their significant other as a Superman.

But there's only one lady who can actually claim that her beau is - and that's Lois Lane, comix' premiere ball-and-chain.

But it's not always been smooth sailing with the Kryptonian Kourtship; other silver-tongued devils have attempted to step in on the Big Red S's turf. In the Silver Age it seemed like every other week, some smoothie or big monster was laying on the love lyrics to Lois, and to celebrate this smoochy day, here are fifteen of the wildest:


15. Way to gloat Superman, you dick.

14. We all like a horny devil, a bad boy and they do say the devil has the best tunes; but....

13. ''Lois, my lung may be iron, but my heart is putty... in your hands!''

12. Last chance!? How old is she supposed to be???

11. He's either a gimp or a Mexican wrestler. Kinky!!

 

10. Why does Supes always wait 'til they're making wedding plans to reveal the terrible secret?

 

 

 

9. Spoiler: It am Bizarro - Flash.

 

 

 

8. To be fair he IS a beast...

 

 

7. He's so adorable every girl would contemplate a Herko loving!

 

6-4 A terrific trio of Dark Knight Dalliance!

 

 

 

 

And this one is a team effort!!!

 

3. If you think Lois is a jerk for marrying Lex Luthor, of all people, just read Superman's thought bubble:

 

 

 

 

2. It's like some screwed up Back To The Future.

 

 

1. .... But in the end, it always comes back to The Man Of Tomorrow, which is as it should be.

You can Look But You Better Not Touch....

Poison Ivy is arguably taking the silver position in Batmans female foes.
Created in the Silver Age and who was oddly skipped over for the 1960s Batman TV show, she achieved screen immortality with the well loved 1990s Batman Animated series; and it could be said, Uma Thurmans regrettable Mae West-lite take in the horrible Batman and Robin movie in 1997.

In studying her whole history from 1966 to present. It was decided to opt for an amalgam, picking the best features from every classic incarnation, as per my clients request.

She was created from a standard Ballerina Barbie with the accessories removed and painted green.

 

 

 

The leaves to form the bodice were sculpted from two part epoxy and built up one by one over consecutive days till completed.

 

 

 

Layering shades of green to build texture and individuality to each leaf.

 

 

The necklace and the head band were formed using a mixture of two part epoxy and wire to hold the leaves together and firmly in place. The colour for the eyes and lips was mixed using shades of citadel paints. I didn't want a shade too overpowering as I kept with a natural olive green for her eyes this links into the necklace and headband to place a continuity with the costume shades.

 

 

 

Using green craft wire that can easily hook around her leg, the same method for leaves was used and a vine was created.

 

 

It's rare with customising that the base of a figure is one of the most enjoyable parts of the creation, but for me this was certainly the case. I didn't want to distract overly much from the doll as this is going to a Barbie collector but I could see ways of taking this further into the realms of a foliage folly!

 

 

These leaves are created by bending wire into the desired shape and then either dipped or dragged into a liquid resin and left to dry.

The feet of the doll were placed into clay to give the base weight and super glued down. More clay was added to the surround to help balance and so the wire leaves could be placed and bent into the desired position.

 

 

The pattern on the base was created by cutting the edges from painted doilies and glued into place using a clear/green glitter glue.

 

 

 

Which then gives you the a Poison Ivy styled Barbie that's worth standing on any collectors shelf!