Endangered Species...

So, if you skip all the way back to the beginning of the year on this blog, you'll note that our first road trip of 2011 was to The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, so it seemed fitting that our last road trip of 2011 was there too, it all comes full circle.
Only this time our gang was just the two of us (Kandy and I), I didn't have a gammy eye and snow wasn't covering the ground, in fact it was gloriously sunny, I wrapped up so much remembering the frostiness of our previous trip, that I was almost sweating!

This time round there were two amazing exhibitions for us to visit, the first being Endangered Species by Donna Wilson.
This one was obviously like porn for knit freak Kandy, but I loved it too.

Not just her knitted pieces, Donna had featured some illustrations and watercolour paintings too.
But the best part was the installation of knitted creatures and tress and things, featuring some of the best colourways I've seen in years!

The second exhibition is by the awesome and lovely Rachel Goodyear.

Having previously only seen her work in illustrated form, it was a joy to see other works including 3D pieces and animation. So good.
We also took in the sculptures on the grounds too, because we just love art!!! We liked this giant coat a lot (giant/miniature things always a winner at camp Sugar Paper!).

We're an interactive kinda pair too, just look at us here getting in on the 90s euro looking sculptures....

We then acted rate posh and had our lunch at The YSP cafe, where Kandy probably gave herself pink wee eating sooo much beetroot, before browsing the gift shop and heading home.

The Rachel Goodyear exhibition sadly ends next week, but Donna Wilson is on until the end of February, catch them both if you can!

You Guys Give Up , Or You Thirsty For More

So on Tuesday, Kandy, Katie (my oldest friend) and I went to the cinema to see HOME ALONE!!!

I saw this at the cinema when I was a child, all the way back in 1990!! And then I became obsessed with it, got it on VHS and watched it solidly for a good few years, all year round, not just at Christmas.
It's the one film I know every line, every nuance, every shoulder shrug. So I was super excited to see it on the big screen again.
I noticed two things I had never noticed before, a Bruce Springsteen video above the VCR and a full built gingerbread house near the kitchen TV (what a waste, I mean the McCallisters were supposed to be in France!). I also realised Kevin IS a massive brat. Oh Macaulay, how you never fully formed into an adult!
It got us all feeling very festive and nostalgic for family films that once were, before the world became so PC, they'd never let an 8 year old bare a firearm these days!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, KEEP THE CHANGE YA FILTHY ANIMAL!

Every Snowflake Is Different....

It's Christmas, a time to get well crafty and make a shit ton of well shit!
So all my Christmasses came early the other day when i discovered one of my favourite bands are appearing on one of my favourite (modern IE post 90s!!) shows.
I then had a sudden urge to make paper snowflakes (I make it sound like it was completely unconnected). And after just making a load to go onto friends Christmas cards, I realised I probably haven't made any since PRIMARY SCHOOL, what the hell! (i do have an aversion to paper crafts).
Well I was going to have a mini make and do right here, but due to a number of things (time constraints, lack of equipment to take pictures and just pure laziness) I'm not, but I will say for any oldies who have forgotten how to make them and seem to end up with a big pile of cut out triangles and not much else, here's a paper snowflake tutorial for you!
And because I'm super nice, an early Christmas present.....


(ps MCR, Tori Spelling, Leslie Hall, hello dreams!!!!)

5.8 x 4.1 Exhibition

Five point eight by four point one is an exhibition of postcards by artists to raise funds for Manchester School Of Art's 3rd year embroidery students.

Kandy, Ben and myself have all got postcards in the exhibitions. Bidding is on NOW and closes on Thursday 8th December!

We'll be making a visit then, you should too!

Breaking Dawn: Part 1

Regular Sugar Paper Gang blog readers will know that Kandy and I are a fan of the Twilight saga. Reading the books, buying the tat, attending the midnight showing. Yet somehow, this time it took us a week to to finally get round and see it! why is that?

Is it because Kandy and myself are so consumed with Harry Potter and MCR love (respectively)? because we just couldn't find the time to all go? Or because we were too frightened at the prospect of it actually being a film?

ALL OF THE ABOVE.

So I'm just going to say that I read Breaking Dawn and I really didn't like it, I was so disappointed by it I wrote my own version (Breaking Down). In fact I would go as far to say it's the worst book I ever read (and I've read Elizabeth Wurtzel's sequel to Prozac Nation).

So I'll try and keep this brief and coherent, WHAT THE F#'! WAS THAT!!

Admittedly the things I hated in the book were a little watered down for the film, but still.
These things in case you're wondering are....

Racism- only slight in the Brazilian jaunt, most of that will be in part two though.

Sexism- there's the whole pressure into getting married, the whole sex thing, the anti choice, the sex is bad, babies are bad, but keep them they will be loved, the whole Vampire male= super human vs mere female= human and therefore the weaker link when it DOES come to the sex.
Slight paedophilia- imprinting on a child, sorry but NO!

And then of course all those images of babied-up ill Bella circulating pro-anorexia sites!

But I knew all that was going to happen, so I can't really complain.
I can complain about what actual children will gain from it!
I mean there wasn't one thing in the film that they could surely enjoy ( I saw a girl around 10-11 leaving and wanted to say DID YOU ENJOY THAT, HOW?!?!?!?). I mean the only bit that didn't mess with your head was the Bella Edward almost sex in the sea scene, but when your ten, you think that stuff is gross right?

OK, so without my feminist vs mormon author review, what about the film?

It left me confused, really confused. I mean it was part tween horror (Edward ripping demon baby from sickly Bella's womb). Part quirky indie rom com (that Bella getting ready for sex scene) Part child fantasy (the wolves). Part 80s teen sci-fi (all that inner body venom stuff!) and last but not least part 90s teen film (THOSE CLOSING TITLES!!!! What were they? I half expected The Donnas to leap out and start playing!).

I'll tell you one thing though, despite the fact the make up department has forever made the Cullen's look like they just shared one pot of Snazzaroo between them, they made Kristin Stewart look bloody awful (no pun intended).

It was as hilarious and harrowing as a David Lynch rip off, and as anti everything I believe in as much as a white middle class man stopping a young black girl enter an abortion clinic!

Who knows what will happen to me when I watch Part 2!

in short......

WHAT WAS THAT!

Salford zine fair presents PRINTOMANIA!!!!!

We shall be selling our wares at Printomania, screw the arndale, this is where Christmas shopping should be done!!!

All I Want For Christmas....

So it's almost Christmas, the time where I get excited and stressed in equal measures, mainly because I decide I'm not going to buy people gifts, I'm going to make them, this usually happens a far too near Christmas.
So if you too, like me realise you haven't left enough time for all these grand crafting plans, then check out this list of awesome gifts....

For your cat loving pal:
Let's be honest, cats faces appear on pretty much anything, but what your feline loving friend really wants is this ace Bandit cushion by Knit And Destroy.

For your bookworm bessie:
If your friend already has a load of books and you don't know what to get, how about a bag to carry all their books?! Try this tote from Manchester based Mr.PS.

John Waters once said a book is the best gift and "If you go home with somebody and they don't have any books, don't F*#! 'em" and he knows what he's talking about so if you do want to buy a book, I recommend this one, Bare Essentials The Best Of Nude Magazine. Now Nude is one of my favourite magazines and I discovered some of my favourite artists through Nude!

For the filthy friend:
Speaking of John Waters, if you too have a load of bad taste buddies, then they will definitely appreciate this badge set from Bunny Bissoux.

For the retro rebel:
What to get for the pin-up pretty who loves a good tattoo or two? Well this sticker pack from glamour puss Sunny Buick should do the trick, inspired by her own tattoo flash, these stickers will look good anywhere!

For the getbusy gyal:
Keep you skater pal warm on the street this winter with these gloves from getbusystore, with the option for the twee mitten style or Frank Iero fingerless!

For the soul sister:
Do you sometimes wish you and your bff could be twins because you're so alike you feel like you are? Well the get this beautiful locket from The Black Apple and feel like soul sisters!

For the crafty friend:
That's right you guessed it, that friend wants The State Of Craft book, featuring Kandy and myself and a host of many more.
They also most definitely want something from the Sugar Paper Shop!!

For the friend who's life needs saving:
Then all they need is to watch My So-Called Life. Angela Chase and friends know what it's like to have a zit, have unrequited love, be unsure, not fit in, hate your parents and have Julian Hatfield follow you round, just like you! Get this and your friend will eternally be grateful. can be watched time and time again, year after year and bonding sessions dying your hair crimson glow and weeping at the Christmas special will always bring you and your pal closer!

All Kandy wants for Christmas is a ticket to the HP studios, all I want is some dapper tap shoes and to listen to this on repeat.....