The Watchmakers Review

How do you begin to review a band with one single? There’s only so much you can say about one song, right?

Wrong.

Frankly, when it’s this bloody good I could write a Bible sized book singing its praises.

The Watchmakers are a Manchester based group, being a Manc myself I felt at home listening to their ‘Before Questions Became.’ They don’t sound identical to the likes of Oasis, Stone Roses, New Order or any other of the endless talent that comes out of Manchester...

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My friends have too much time to spare

This is FANTASTIC, I mean this should be the next YouTube sensation. 
I may be biased because 2 of my besties, the guy singing (Charlie) and the one in the bobble hat (Lloyd) are in it, but this is so so clever. 

Charlie spent the whole day tuning bottles and being a musical nerd in his Freshers Week at Durham University. I think it paid off though, I'd say Jay-z and Kanye have competition 

Check out my website too please, I've got it up and running www.daisysausage.com

Pick me ups.

I never check my post, since having to cut down on my online shopping addiction and I refuse to look at my bank statements there isn't any need. 
So I got these beauties really late but nevertheless they were so uplifting. The words are lovely but the idea that someones sat down and thought of you is such a pick me up!

It got me thinking, why don't people write anymore? 

There is something more special when people put pen to paper rather than flinging something into your inbox. 

New Year's Resolution: be everyone's pen pal & stay in touch the old fashioned way. 

Does anyone know of any nice writing sets? Like, cute floral paper and envelopes?

ALSO VISIT MY NEW WEBSITE WWW.DAISYSAUSAGE.COM  

MY NEW WEBSITE

On Christmas morning present unwrapping was a bit of a rush because I had to dash off to work. My brother was round and I hadn’t caught up with everyone since I’d been home from Uni. So, it was sort of a shame to spend the day pulling pints and watching other families pulling crackers. I came home to a beautiful home cooked dinner, pigs in blankets GALORE! and my main present.

A website.  DaisySausage.com

Now, at first I thought how odd.

But after seeing how much effort my Dad and Rocket Powered – the web designers put into making it & it’s going to encourage me to write – which i LOVE doing. I revised my first reaction and thought HOW THOUGHTFUL.

This is the logo my Dad designed, classic embarrassing Dad but still I LOVE IT. 

Please check it out 

Hope you're all having a lovely Christmas 

Daisy x

Introducing: Robert Vincent

I believe that everyone is guilty of secretly loving country music: I myself am a proud, cowboy boot-owning, two-stepping fan and was very excited by the introduction of Robert Vincent's 'November', where the uplifting strum of acoustic guitar teamed with a tambourine reminded me of early Johnny Cash.  'Riots Cry', which was released on October 21st, has "good mood" vibes and sounds like folk music, but joined by an electric guitar - crazy and it works perfectly.  His EP 'The Bomb' is so calming and is now most played on my 'Saturday afternoon car rides' playlist and, although his music is very cheerful, the lyrics are very honest and raw.  He seems to pride himself on this, commenting that with his songs "There’s no smoke and mirrors about it".
 
Vincent already has a great deal of support from his home city Liverpool, where he has been nominated for the Liverpool Music Awards' Male Artist of the Year.  He is currently touring, and will be bringing out a new single, 'Life in Easy Steps', in the near future.  This guy is busy, and it seems his hard work is paying off as his fan base and YouTube hits keep growing.





Please visit this SUPER website for articles on new, talented music on Carpe Musica

Flutter Envy

These are the MAC Cosmetic 43 Lash Eyelashes. 
They're £10, which isn't bad considering i'm going to wear them to death

I love how jagged they are, it gives them more texture which may look strange in the box but look natural when applied. I always opt for a feathery texture rather than length, they look more dramatic but no one would question for a second they're not your own lashes. 

I HATE HATE HATE glue, but this DUO one is perfect as its black. You don't need a lot and if anything it just oomphs the effect of your eyeliner. I stocked up when in LA but you can buy it on Amazon for £4. 

Introducing: Saint Raymond

As a first year student living away from home, the lyrics "A house is not a home when you're alone" really struck a chord.  The lyrics are quite poetic and have a lot of depth to them, but not in the "flowery" way that many bands attempt - Saint Raymond (known to his mum as Callum Burrows) explains that he wants his songs to get across their story without imposing his own message too much.

Saint Raymond is based in Nottingham and has stunned audiences in some of his city's hippest bars and venues. What gives him extra cool points, however, is that he isn't even old enough to drink in them, although - at the fresh age 17 - this guy is fully capable of captivating an audience.  His music brings back fervent memories of summers listening to The Kooks,  Kaiser Chiefs and The Fratellis: we all miss those charming, British indie boy bandsand even better, this boy is pulling it all off by himself

When Saint Raymond was a duo last year on BBC Radio Nottingham 

Saint Raymond is a restrained artist, who needs no fireworks, marching bands or cabaret, and the simplicity works well: very well. Why wouldn't it?  His voice is mesmerising -I would be oblivious if there was a spectacular light show or if aliens had invaded.  Two favourites to the local crowd - 'Bonfire' and 'She Said No' - have been aired on BBC Radio Nottingham, and are sure to be the first of many.

This summer, he played Splendour Festival in Nottingham on a small stage - the same spot Jake Bugg had a year previously. They are BIG boots to jump in to, but I wish him the same success as the young man who recently enjoyed a UK number one UK album.  He has just completed a tour with the beautiful Gabrielle Alpin (the voice behind the John Lewis Christmas advert) and a little bit of her magic is clearly rubbing off.

This is my first music review, but be sure to check out more talented articles on Carpe Musica

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm HOME, and everything looks so festive!
Our house has been transformed into a grotto and I can't believe I'm more half way through my advent calender. Our Christmas tree is beautiful, my mum won't buy the same bauble twice and believes each one should hold its own memory. It's such a personal idea and gives us an excuse to buy Christmas decs all year round. 

Me and my mum went for Christmas cocktails in Nottingham before I packed up for the holidays. We drank in a creepy underground cave that was transformed into a Gothic bar covered in fairy lights. There was a brick wall that when pushed revealed a secret bar.. um WOW. 
The cocktail menu was endless but I'd recommend the Toblerone and Haribo ones. 
Its called Coco Tang, near the Lace Market in Nottingham town center. You wouldn't know its a bar but look out for a Chinese red lantern among the high street shops, that's the place. 

Lovely last night in Nottingham and so happy to be back with the family (and my bestie from Liverpool Molly on the last picture.)  

Are all my posts house related?

I have just signed the contract for my first ever house!

I'm going to have my own front door and possibly my own cat. meow. 

I'm living with 2 girls and 2 boys, and we are moving in for second year of university. As of July, I have to pay bills, do my own cooking and learn to use the house alarm.

This is all so scary & I've got excitable butterflies.  

wow, this feels WAY too grown up. 

ours is the green one, we have our own front door!

I love the fireplace, we are putting fair lights everywhere!

HOME BOUND

I was just twiddling with my cornflakes in Uni Halls when Emily (my roomie) jokingly said "Lets all go to Manchester!"

Within 20 minutes we were equipped with back packs, foiled up sandwiches and rail cards. We stumbled on to the train from Nottingham to Manchester as the whistle blew. 

I had recruited 3 Londeners, my flatmates who all imagined Manchester to be like the streets of London, only when Oliver Twist was roaming them. 

I quickly proved them wrong, I did a whistle stop tour of EVERYWHERE in my city. (I will do a blog soon on the places to visit) - I'm quite the patriot. 

with my sister being tourists

Later we hit the town, introducing them to the BEST of Manchester music, The Smiths, Joy Division, Stone Roses, The Courtneers, Oasis, New Order, Happy Mondays the talent list is endless. 

My roomie Em, out in Manchester

On Sunday, we went to the Northern Quarter- a quirky area filled with vintage, vinyl and oddbod shops. We ate at the Soup Kitchen for lunch which turns into a club with amazingly good DJs after dark. Then we skipped full of festivity to the GERMAN MARKETS. It is impossible not to feel Chritmassy here, each Hansel and Gretel hut is a different treasure trove. From nutcrackers to fuzzyreindeer jumpers - we bought it all. 

FEELIN FESTIVE 

But what made the spontaneous trip complete was a visit with the family. We had breakfast with my Grandy, my absolute hero. He told us stories about him jet setting to LA, and of course reminded us  'it's nowt like growing up in the war.' 

My grandpops 

We started decorating the house - a bit early but Grottos aren't built in a day. Nothing says you're home like squabbling over untangling fairy lights and tinsel. Mum withheld the family traditions by digging out put the embarrassing jumpers. 

Back on the train now, brimming with home comforts and TOO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS 

Decorating Day

Home is where one starts from - T.S. Eliot

It's moving day! I class my house with my cat and cosy bed in Manchester as my 'home.' Since I've left my home I started to wonder how far am I away from the start? So I've passed Go collected my £200 but surely I can't have past at least the first train station on my Monopoly board of life.

But I am STARTING university, which makes this my new HOME therefore, I wanted to make it as homey as possible. 

I LOVE Cath Kidston but my bank balance and her price tags don't get along so well. Here is how I transformed my 2" x 3" cell block into a floral haven (on a budget!!) 

This bedding looks exactly like the Cath Kidston and is only £11 for the set compared to the steep price of £65 for the real deal. 

I used tea towels from Dunelms to decorate my notice board and found these perfect hearts on eBay. As a leaving present my little sister made me the dolls house which is jewelry box! It would be 'if i could only take one thing on a desert island' item. Each room stores a different type of jewelry, my rings, bracelets and has hooks for my necklaces, it's so thoughtful. 

 I do have Cath Kidston mugs (below) but I think this Tesco's cup is adorable and more unique. 

Moving, eventually.

"Let him that would move the world first move himself." -  Socrates

I am moving to university in 2 DAYS and since I'm packing up to study Philosophy a Socrates quote seemed very apt. (expect Socrates quotes to creep up anyone that has seen my montage poster of the fella who founded philosophy will know I'm a bit more than keen on him.)

Socrates is saying we must change ourselves firstly before changing others, refer to Michael Jackson's 'man in the mirror' lyrics for further explanation. My big step is loading up the car, handing my Mum a box of Kleenex and starting a new life. But what happens when you don't fancy budging from under your duvet and 'moving oneself'? 

pro·cras·ti·na·tion  
noun
putting off or delaying,especially something requiring immediate attention

Thank you Oxford Dictionary for the diagnosis, I CAN NOT THINK OF MOVING. So instead, I caught the creative bug, rummaged through my old clothes and got ARTY. 

I bought clothes dye from my local market, the instructions were really simple and within minutes my boring 'wouldn't be seen taking the bins out' attire was now a psychedelic delight. Dip dying socks didn't feel wild enough so I found this tom boy shirt and added studs. You can buy gold studs on eBay for less than a packet of crisps and there is so many designs. The orange matted ones and skull and crossbones are on my next shopping list. 
Click here for the eBay shop I got purchased mine from.

As for procrastinating? 

 I did reluctantly pack in the end.