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.....

Sugar Paper #8 OUT NOW

Yes Sugar Paper #8 is available now.

One of things we show you how to make is a cape like this.....

also includes Taxidermy bird, knitted slippers, cross stitch calender, recipes, puzzle and a free peg to make a peg doll AND MUCH MORE.
BUY HERE!

SP#8 gone to the printers

Yes Sugar Paper # 8 is off to the printers, it seems like we've been making it FOREVER, we've been very laid back about this one and next thing you know it's mid November, anyway here's a sneak peek....

This is the lino print cover made for us by Bryony Jackson, and inside sees the likes of taxidermy, tasty cookie recipe, knitted slippers, peg doll, puzzle and MUCH MORE!!!

Bust Craftacular

So we gave it a miss last year, but this year sees the return of Sugar Paper at The Bust Craftacular and this time its Knit And Destroy vs Sugar Paper!
yes come down and see Kandy's knits and our zines, sat next in to each other, mixed with whatever zines of my own I manage to print.
York hall, Bethnal Green London. November 27th 12-6.

HOT TOPIC*

So we're all aware of the Le Tigre song Hot Topic right? If not I'm talking about this...

So I'm sure we all say we know who everyone who is name checked in that song (admit it, I will, after I went to a Carolee Schneeman And Eleanor Antin when I was in my mid teens, I thought I was the SHIT in reality you'd usually find me on the dance floor shouting ARIEL SCHRAG and THE BUTCHIES MAN and miming the rest.)

So imagine my delight when ,my all round awesome pal Leesey made this zine.

It's a brief run down of all those name checked in the song hot topic!! all set amongst colourful paper with illustrations. It made me want to check out every name on the list (something I told myself I would start ten years ago, I'm halfway there!)

I'd also like to take the time out to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Leesey, she is celebrating a big birthday this Wednesday (you never reveal a ladies age, but let's Say Frank Iero just celebrated this age MCR fans!)
She would most definitely be on my Hot Topic list.....

xxx

*apologies if you hoped this post was aboput every teen american pop punk emo's favourite store Hot Topic!

BABES CRAFT!!

So Kandy aren't so much babes, we're too lazy for that, we might get our glam on like twice a year. But my friend Jennie is a consistent glamour puss, she also has proper good nails. Where as Kandy and I have crafters nails (short, thin, broken off, flaky) so we probably won't try this out, but when Jennie showed me this I was in awe, one of my favourite things to make and do (we featured it in Sugar Paper #6.
I present Marbling your nails!!!!!

Hood Pattern For Cape.

So you have yourself a copy of Sugar Paper #8 and made yourself an awesome cape, but the winter nights have drawn in, or you just really like head wear and you want a hood on your cape.
Follow this simple pattern!

There are complex ways of making the perfect hood, but we haven't got time for that, so here is the simple version.

You will need:

-fabric the same as your cape

-lining (optional)

-scissors

-tailors chalk and pins

-needle and thread (sewing machine)

-a hooded garment

-tape measure

1- First off, take your cape and fold it in half (so the opening is the front and back has the fold), now measure the neckline. Make a note of this.

2- Take your hooded garment and fold in half the same way. Now place on top of your fabric. Draw round the hood with the tailors chalk. Remove garment.

3- Measure the distance of the neckline of your drawn on hood pattern, adjust so it is the same length of the neckline of your cape (remember it is just a half measurement).

4- Cut out the pattern leaving a couple of cms form the line for seam allowance. Place face side down on the fabric and cut another piece (repeat with lining if hood is to be lined.

5- Stitch the two hood pieces together (right sides together) with running stitch, turn out and hem the front of the hood.

6- if adding a lining, stitch the lining pieces together, then pin, right sides together the hood and the lining and stitch around the hood the front of the hood.

7- Now to attach to the hood to the cape. Pin the bottom edge of the hood along the neckline of the cape (so the raw edges are facing in. and stitch together with running stitch, then over stitch the edges to keep from fraying.

Now your hooded cape is ready to wear!

State Of Craft... is here!!

So, I got my copy of State Of Craft this weekend and in between Halloween fun and my brother's birthday I've had a quick read and it RAD!!

So you think I might be biased as both Kandy and I have projects featured in it, but I'm not. It's a good craft book, with well written how to's (all explained with a few cheap jokes and puns, Sugar Paper's favourite way to explain something!) of your basics like knitting, sewing, crochet and more. With over 60 projects to do ranging from knitted ones to woodwork, sewing to decoupage, then there's some interviews with some of indie crafts finest if you feel like picking the book up but not making!
And to top it off, it's a nice handy size!
GO BUY IT!

Happy Halloween!!!

Black Power Mix Tape

So, October is the month of Halloween, it's also Black History Month. And to celebrate this I took my mum and went to see Black Power Mix Tape at the weekend.
I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who wanted to know about Black Power and the Black Panther Movement (from the years 1967 - 1975) or just if you want to be in awe of Angela Davis.

SALE!!!!!

It's the F#*! Christmas It's Almost Halloween Sale!!

Yes we can't all queue up outside Woolworths for bargains now, but you can't get yourself to the Sugar Paper Shoppe and buy some sale things for you, a friend or even someone you hate if your that way inclined.
TREAT YR SEN, tis the season to dress up, blow shit up and fill your belly up!

Christmas Crafty Decorations...

WHAT!! CHRISTMAS!?! We haven't even had the colder months other amazing holidays that are Halloween and Bonfire night (Sugar Paper favourites!) and I'm talking about Christmas!

Well we have put together these kits to make great decorations for your tree, and we want to make sure you have chance to make them and get them up, anyway some people put their decorations up super early!

get yours here.

This is Keana's Candyland in Portland, Oregon a weird yet wonderful place I got to visit!
Also it's not too early for a Christmas song is it?

Bryony Jackson...

Here at Sugar paper HQ we are putting the almost finishing touches to Sugar Paper #8. This issue has a whole host of exciting stuff, and that starts with the cover.
This issue we got the great Bryony Jackson to work her magic!

Bryony is a super amazing artist based in Manchester, a multi talanted printer, illustartor, toy maker and more!!

She makes a world of weird and wonderful characters in amazing colours, plus she is a fellow '90s fan! Check her out here.

......

Hello we are Bis from Glasgow Scotland...

I have a confession, I have a secret love. A love of singing, in a Glaswegian accent.
I can't help it, I can't sing but give me a good Scottish indie pop song to sing along to and I think I'm the best singer EVER!
It all started in the mid 90s when my (second) favourite band was Bis (my first Placebo, I liked black bobs A LOT back then). and then a whole host of other Glaswegian bands fell onto my radar and I was hooked.
But then all those bands, well disbanded and it wasn't until I heard ONE TWO THREE FOUR and ARE THESE ATOMS? THESE ARE ATOMS! out of the mouths of Danananaykroyd that I remembered my secret passion. And it came flooding back, it's not just singing either, I've been reading Grant Morrison's Supergods book in a Glaswegian accent too!
And now they are no more.
And so in honour of those Scottish bands, past and (not for much longer) present, here are some of my favourites, sing along as Glaswegian as you can (even Urusei Yatsura who sound more 'American' and I met hottie Fergus in the late noughties and he is totally from Salisbury/shrewsbury/somewhere more south than Manchester!).

Lemon & Raspberry Madeira Cake

So we all know from our Paris adventures that it was Kandy's birthday last month, but because of us being away and then just timing, I didn't get to make her a cake until a week or so later.
I decided to go more for the taste then the novelty this year.

So here is how I made a lemon and raspberry Platform 9 3/4 cake!!

You will need:

-50z/150g butter or margarine

-50z/150g caster sugar

-3 medium eggs, lightly whisked

-8oz/225g self raising flour

-few drops of lemon essence

-lemon peel

-punnet of raspberries

For the topping;

-half a tub of mascapone

-few spoons of icing sugar

-juice of half a lemon

-food colouring (black and brown)

Heat the oven to gas mark 4/180c and grease a loaf tin.

1-Cream the butter/marg and the sugar, beat in the eggs with a little flour.

2- Add the essence and raspberries, then fold in the remaining flour.

3- bake for about 1 1/4 hours, place peel on top after half an hour in the oven

leave to cool. For the topping.

4-Mix some icing sugar with lemon juice until you have a thick consistency. Add the mascapone and mix well.

5- Split into a third and two thirds. Add black food colouring to the third and brown to the other.

6- I placed the cake on a board covered in brown paper, with drawn on train tracks! I put the cake on its side and iced the front (the top) and the sides.

7- Add brickwork detail with a cocktail stick.

8-For the finishing touches I placed a Lego luggage trolley on one side and a Hogwarts Express on the other!

Dodgebrawl....

So last weekend saw me heading to Sheffield for Kandy's roller derby debut! her first public bout as Cyndi Slaughter #83 for Sheffield Steel Roller Girls against some rad lasses from Nottingham Roller Girls!

I was super excited to see her do her stuff, I took my seat and watched with her sister and dad and she and the other girls, skated, jammed, fell, knocked and all round wore me out!!!

It was a good bout and Sheffield took the win, WELL DONE LADIES!!!

Next up was the UK's first co-ed bout (that's boys and girls vs boys and girls folks!!!!). Members of Manchester's, Lincolnshire's, Birmingham's and Nottingham's derby teams, teamed up to form Average Joe's vs Purple Cobras (yes just like the film Dodgeball!). I opted for supporting Average Joe's because everyone likes an underdog (plus this team had members of Manchester Roller Derby in, so I had to!).

The bout was a nail biting one, a real close call but Average Joe's won in the end!
The day finished off with a roller disco, where I attempted to skate round without getting tired. Roller discos are hard, I can only just skate on wheels never mind dance, but I love to dance.
Disco smoke included, fun was had!

*photos taken by Jason Ruffell

Inspiring Sugar Paper #8....

Once more with feeling....

So remember back in April when I made my bff Nick a t shirt inspired by Kobra Kid's? Well I just thought I'd share the moment when Mikey F#@!$N Way (aka Kobra Kid) admired this tshirt as it was on Nick's back. Apparently he was a sweetheart and said he liked the top, if that isn't a seal of approval I don't know what is!

State Of Craft

So we can finally tell you all WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A CRAFT BOOK!

yes that's right Kandy and myself will have a make and do in a hot new craft book State Of Craft, out in October.

Check us out on the cover, Kandy's paintbrush scarf and my orange needle book (on the table!).

Put it on every crafters Christmas list!

Tinnitus

So I have just finished reading issue one of Tinnitus. From the pen of Benjamin Cooney.

Ben is a regular at Sugar Paper towers, being the other half of S.P's other half, Kandy and Sugar Paper contributor, illustrating the cover for issue 6.
The first official outing (there was the teaser in the form of issue zero) of Tinnitus is super rad and I urge anyone to grab themselves a copy, do that here!

(Crochet) Craft Idols....

So we haven't talked abut other craftsters that inspire us for a while, we've been busy crafting (and mostly working!) so we thought we'd do a double whammy.
It's no breaking news flash that we love a bit of novelty here, something that looks like something else and throw a pun in and we're away. Add a touch of crochet and we're in heaven!
On the note take a look at...
Kate jenkins....
Kate is founder of Knitwear company Cardigan, but it's her crocheted art that we heart. Crocheting favourite foods form Golden Syrup to penny mix ups. Sequined fish and chips to a pack of smokes, all with clever craft related name changes!

And if food related items are one of your favourite things like ours, then look at the all kinds of rad from....
Twinkie Chan....
Twinkie makes the most awesome of crocheted scarves, all your favourite fast food and sweet treats good enough to eat, have to make do with wearing them I suppose! She has also published a book so you too can make your own tasty crocheted treats!

The Day The Eiffel Tower Went Bezerk....

So last week Sugar Paper and friends went on a trip to Paris. The trip combined two of my besties birthdays and some awesome tattoos! It went a little like this....

I picked up birthday girl number one, my oldest pal Katie outside Maccy D's to get the bus to town,to the train station where we picked up birthday girl number two Kandy and then picked up the last Parisian pal Alison on the train. Scoffed down some of Katie's leftover birthday cake and got excited.
A pretty routine check in (thankfully nobody(Katie!)got their million toiletries confiscated) followed by birthday pizza served to us by Manchester airports answer to an EMO Pee Wee Herman and off we flew.

I last travelled with air France in 1998 (my first and last visit to Paris on a french exchange trip) on the flight there we got a free croissant and orange juice. Air France are not affected by the recent economic crisis as we got offered free snacks and beverage on this flight, yes mate!

The first night was supposed to be spent having a toast for Katie but by the time we make it to the hotel we are too tired, Katie enjoys the wine we got at the corner shop, the cheap rum is exactly that cheap, we go to bed excited for tattooing!

Wednesday, an early rise so we can make it to Sunny Buick's studio for 11am, some gals are gonna get inked, eeek!

A walk to Sunny's end of town with a quick stop for a baked goods breakfast and we're there, a little nervous, but as soon as we step into Sunny's studio and she greets us with a smile and offers us tea (she had it ready knowing English girls love their tea) we knew we were in great company.
A little thought about the placement of my tattoo meant I was to have mine the next day, first up, Alison with her Little Red Riding Hood snow globe tattoo. The rest of us chat and look at all the cool things Sunny has (from her artwork to her dice collection!)We head off for a bit of fresh air, to return to marvel at Alison's tattoo. Then a spot of lunch.

Up next, Kandy and her knitting Nancy. Another trip out for fresh air, which was spoiled by hoards of Parisian men being completely leery and gross. Walking down the street untouched is apparently not an option. Sunny had some great advice about this, she said don't worry you don't speak the same language, just shout GET AWAY FROM ME COCKSUCKER!!!!

Kandy finishes off, we marvel at the tattoo and bid Sunny goodbye until Thursday afternoon.
Head back to the hotel, tattooing is tiring, a freshen up and off out for tea, get shunned at a pizza place for entertaining the idea of sharing two pizzas, pfft, but manage to find some tasty rice, tofu, spring rolls combo where we don't get told off and the bin almost sets on fire from a cigarette!

A hop on the metro and we arrive at the Palais de Tokyo for fun in the Amelie photo booth, but it's shut, but it's OK we soon get distracted by the SPARKLY EIFFEL TOWER! We make our way down through the Trocadero, stopping to watch some folk swing dancing, we sigh and realise it is quite a beautiful city. We finally get up close and personal to the Eiffel Tower, but not before having a go on the Carousel!
We sit for a while but leave as we get sick of the street sellers trying to sell us champagne and cigarettes!

Thursday, the day of my tattoo, but not until the afternoon, so we spent the morning (after having a proper french breakfast!) sight seeing, first stop The Louvre, then onto the bridge that is full of padlocks of love, we spent a good bit of time on there! Then we managed to find Laduree, the maccaron place Sunny recommend to us, we were going to sit in but time was ticking and tattoo appointments were calling and we didn't want to rush, we stared at a cake that looked like an ACTUAL SPONGE modelled like a strawberry, then left and made our way to Sunny's.

I got my tattoo done, a sewing related one with 'Make Do And Mend' written. I really enjoyed getting tattooed by Sunny, she has some super story's and is a crafty gal herself! She gave us all some free stuff (as she's ace) we then bought other bits of hers and reluctantly left.

Headed back to the hotel for a freshen up, not before a stop for some wine and bottled cocktails. We had a sit down and drunk our drinks, that seemed to go to our head! We realised time was ticking and we didn't want to miss Palais De Tokyo again so rushed out.
We only had 15 minutes before closing so squashed ourselves in the photo booth and pulled out our best poses, a stripmof us all each, a strip of solo ones each, before you know it they had locked the doors not knowing we were there, a few minutes of photo developing and we left!!
All that drinking and posing gave us a hunger so we headed towards Notre Dame and stopped off nearby for some falafels, yum. A mini tat stop shop and some sight seeing of Notre Dame.

We then set off for a bar Katie wanted to go to that we found in a guide book, yeah guide books sometimes suck, we eventually found it and despite being listed as a bar not eatery everyone was just sat down eating, pfft. So we headed back and got a cocktail from our local!

Friday was a non tattoo day, so we leisurely got up, ate breakfast was we wandered to Montmatre.
Another day of sightseeing and typical tourist fan stuff and yes TAT SHOPPING!!!!!!
we made it to Sacre Couer, but noticed an outsider art gallery nearby, went in but sadly you had to pay and we were getting low on funds (we needed to buy tat!) so just browsed the gift shop, bought some postcards (we bought A LOT of postcards this holiday!).
We don't head up to Sacre Couer straight away, we get distracted by tat shops and carousels!! we have a go round and the sun come sout, full beam. We have a scvuffle with some rude street sellers who think it's ok to harras and touch you IT IS NOT!

We walk up the steps towards Sacre Couer and I see a group of girls who I can tell look English, I recognise one and think it's someone I know from home, I thought don't be stupid, then Alison says It's Nikki from As If (early noughties CH4 teen drama!) CELEBRITY SPOT OF THE DECADE!!!!!!

After we get over that amazing celebrity spot we walk down to the old town and spend far too long picking postcards of doe eyed children (in the cool 70s way not some weirdo I love kiddie pictures way!) Pass by the fruit & veg stall featured in Amelie, Kandy gets an apple that is pretty gross, my nectarine is OK! Then we stop off for lunch in the Amelie cafe, yeah tourist time!
It's such a lovely place, the right mix of old and new, not too cool and quite laid back, the foods pretty tasty too, we get all french cuisine and have a vegetarian croque monsiuer, followed by our first macarons, YUM!
After a good few hours at the cafe, we get on our feet and look at the Moulin Rouge, it's too busy for us to recreate the Lady Marmalade video, even though we assigned each other roles, pfft. We decide we want an ice cream and some grass, so head to a cemetery! It's not got anyone we know in, but we have a quiet walk round and a sit in the sun, goffs. Before heading back to the madness, picking up an ice cream and heading back to the hotel.

We finally manage to catch a happy hour and head to the local for a cocktail. Then back up to Notre Dame for falafel take tow and some serious tat shopping, like SERIOUS!!!! We all manage to get what we need and then some, it's super busy, so we grab a couple of crepes and head home, for the last time.

It's packing and sadness in the hotel and dread of thinking about getting up at stupid o'clock.

It's Kandy's birthday and it's 5am!!

We make it to the airport stress free and get in, super hungry and can't manage to find any food, but do notice a Laudredee in the airport so we spend a while picking some macarons. We eventually find somewhere for breakfast and we spend the last of our Euro's......

We board the plane and get sleepy and sad, Paris it was a blast!