Wednesday 28 November 2012

A Classic Adventure

Saturday night I was on another burlesque road trip down to Evesham for a private show along with Foxie la Roque, Lulu Belle Ferrari and Suzie Floozie (the best stage manager ever!).

A frosty start

After such a great night the following morning I was up, ready and excited for a Sunday full of fresh air and girlie vintage fun with BooBoo Kitty on her Kingston Hampton shopper Mavis and Lucille on her 1959 Raleigh Marlene, me on my Kingston Mayfair shopper Bernie and Martha on her vintage pink Raleigh Marmalade.

Marlene, Bernie and Marmalade

You just don your vintage wear and grab your bike and turn up, all for free! What a great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon with the gals.

We joined around 30 other people and some of their vintage and classic bikes ready for Nottingham's second secret classic bike ride.

Dressed vintage-cycling-glam and fuelled with a cup of tea to get us going we set off from West Bridgford for a cycling tour around Nottingham Trent River and it’s cycling paths around the city centre’s surrounding areas.

Luckily it was a bright and sunny day and even though the ground was frosty our cycling trip kept us cosy warm.

Ready to go...glam biking!






 Along the way we learned some of the local history and as we past the points of interest as well as chatting and giggling with each other along the way with a quick pit stop for an ice cream and a mirror check.


We stopped to refuel at the Games Workshop HQ, War Hammer as the restaurant and bar is open to the public. Us girlies we a little apprehensive as we didn’t know what to expect, but it was very lovely inside for some food and a drink.
Martha puckering up with a character of some sort that was popping out of the wall. Very erm…dapper!??

After that it wasn’t too far back to the start point where we called it a day and headed on home as by then we’d been out and about for about 4 hours.


I can’t wait for the next one which will hopefully be next spring and if you’re local or even if you’re not you should definitely take part in one in the future as it’s a great way to spend a Sunday getting some exercise and lots of fun too!

Rose x













Wednesday 21 November 2012

Sneaky peek…dream team photoshoot!


I thought I'd post a quick look at what I got up to on Friday...


Friday was a good day. I got to have loads of fun with great people modelling all day in BooBoo Kitty Couture dresses along side BooBoo Kitty herself and Lucille from Lucilles Locks who also worked her magic on our hair. Ms Moo was our utterly fabulous make up artist and Miss Rain was the talent behind the camera capturing our antics and posey poses!

We spent the morning in Tiffin Tea house sipping tea from beautiful vintage china whilst tucking into some lovely cake, oh and posing of course! It was quite the girly date getting dressed up for tea!
Ladies what lunch!


The Stunning BooBoo Kitty striking a pose infront of Miss Rain
We also got to wear some beautiful vintage jewellery from Eden Bea whilst sampling some other delights within the local area.

I loved being trasformed by Lucille and Ms Moo incredible hair and make up skills.


Playing dress up. The first look for some vintage tea.


Pin up rockabilly, the second look

Evening deco glamour, the last look

Needless to say we had lots of fun in the best sweet shop I've been to in...ever!!
I managed to restrain myself...,just!


Drool fest!

The last location was the nciest pub ever! seriously, its so class and chic with original deco features and elegance but still cozy enough to be a nice local. Plus if its stocks Hendricks gin its already winning me over!

Lucille stricking a pose on the elegant staircase for Miss Rain


I can't wait to share the end results!

Rose x









Monday 12 November 2012

I ride my bike!

For a little while now I’ve had my eye on a vintage bike, even roping in a friend who’s already acquired and restored 2 vintage bikes to find one for me.

It wasn’t until BBKC mentioned a reproduction of vintage bicycles that were available particularly
Pashley and Beg bikes that sparked my interest further.

I already had a bike but it was one that was practical for getting me to work when I didn’t have the car or (needed) wanted a fitness boost as there are a couple of bridges en route let alone the very big, steep hill I had to ride up to my office.

Then once I saw BBKC’s latest purchase and read her blog about her new and reasonably priced Kingston it spurred my interest even more as, as much as I loved my trusty and loyal mountain bike to get me where I wanted and fast (I am not a patient person) I longed for something that fitted my personality more – but I didn’t want to spent too much as I’d rather spend more on dresses and shoes and pretty things.

My dear husband was stuck with ideas for my Christmas gift which was perfect timing as I was just lusting over some Kingston bikes so I showed him a link and let him chose the right one for me – I’m a lady and have no interest in boy, mechanical things. The bets I can do is fuel the car, pump the tyres and fill the levels and I consider that a triumph!

Once it arrived (with squeals of excitement) we set to building it – without any instructions provided (arggh why not!!??) after many trials ands tribulations and kneeling on screws, banging my shin on the pedals and a few curse words thrown in for good measure we finally got there!

TA-Dahh!!
She looked a beaut sitting in the dining room where we left her, ready and waiting when I came downstairs ready to get on the saddle to go to work!

No more unflattering sports kit for me. Now I can ride in style and comfort!

I think I’m naming her Bernie! :D
I'm so excited to showcase her at the Vintage bike ride around Nottingham next weekend!

...now, what to wear??


Rose x





Monday 5 November 2012

A package from France

Today I came home to a package from France, at first I couldn't think what it could be but upon eargerly tearing open the brown paper I soon realised it was something I'd been expecting.

A few months a go my wedding photographer, Marianne Taylor emailed me saying that a photo taken from my wedding 2 years ago would be featured in a french wedding book and today I received 'un Beau Jour'.

I was sent a preveiw of the page which the publishers had chosen to put in the book and it looked great, so I was amazed to see it in print!

 




 
 All of the photos in the book were Mariannes. I think the entire book looks incredible and well done - I just wish I could read it all...



Rose x

Ps - please excuse the terrible indoor/evening lighting in the photos, I couldn't wait to share!

Friday 2 November 2012

Instagram love - October

I thought I'd put a little collage of some of the Instagram moments from October!



Rose x

Monday 29 October 2012

Autumnal Bliss

Autumn is easily my favourite time of year!

I love the crisp air, the colour of the leaves. Crunching the leaves under my feet was one of my favourite things to do as a kid, and still is. I have some of my best memories as a child during autumn. To me everywhere seems much more beautiful this time of year. Plus Halloween is an added bonus – I love Halloween too!

I love spending every Sunday getting into my walking boots and wrapping up in cosy woolly jumpers to take the dogs for a big walk soaking up the cool autumn air and come home for a lovely cinnamon latte (courtesy of the fancy-pants coffee machine) and maybe some cake too and then sitting with a Sunday movie or two and maybe a nap for good measure after all the fresh air.

Of course autumn walkies is the best at our favourite walkies spot at Elvaston Castle


Can't beat the excitement of finding conkers

You can’t beat a slow cooker full of gravy, chunky veg and meaty goodness to make you all cosy on the inside too. Though, sometimes we have a cheeky take away as a last of the weekend treat with a movie or a great box set. I blumin love sundays!
Sundays are now my favourite time of the week, I spend each week looking forward to them. Something even the Mr has admitted. I think I’m also converting him and he his love for autumn is growing! Yey!


Its also the time for Pumpkin spice lattes!!

and Chai lattes

and more lattes with cinamon cake!!!

Double Trouble!!

About a month ago we had a new addition to the family. We already have two crazy kitties and an adorable beagle, Bella, who’ve I’ve wanted ever since I was a young girl.

Bella love

Not too long after we welcomed Bella into our lives last October we knew that we would be adding another beagle when the time came. We always thought of getting another young pup to raise from scratch again but after spending a year training and showing across the country it turned out Bella’s brother, Jasper, needed a new home.


Initially we were still set on getting a puppy, but the more we thought about it and considered our options and in the end decided to bring Jasper home. Being Bella’s true brother from the same litter we figured he’d be perfect for Bella who, by now wanted a companion.

He’s been with us for a month now and at first it was very difficult, not at all what we imagined. For some reason he seemed to forget everything he knew when it came to listening to us. He is such a sweetheart, though at first through the difficult stages we were filled with 'uh oh, did we make the right decision’ moments, but I knew we just needed to get over the hill on his training.

With lots of hard work and going back to the basics with his training he’s almost as good as Bella at his tricks and commands and I know it won’t be long until he catches her up. And now we’ve done that I couldn’t ask for a better brother for Bella.

Super sibling snuggle cuteness

He is such a sweet boy and a cheeky chappy who loves his cuddles and licking my face clean of make up the minute I walk in from work. I’m so glad he’s settled in with us all.

We’ve still got a bit more training to go, but for now he’s a perfect part of a beagle duo I love terribly.



Jasper and Bella love walkies!

...and we love their post walkies naps, espcially when Jasper prefers to sleep on his back!

Tuesday 2 October 2012

They'll be there for you!!

It has to be said I’ve treated my blog awfully, filled with promises I’d fill it with regular ramblings…and well that’s pretty much all I left it with. Not very fulfilling!!

I guess I’ve been so busy and that can be anyone’s excuse but I’ve really been just concentrating on being just that, that I haven’t given myself much time to stop until now.

I figured I’d catch up over the past year which has seen a lot of new things happen to me – I’ll hopefully get most of it on here…

I wanted to start with something I’ve wanted to share for a while and that I find the most important.

So…as my husband was sent away for 7 months serving Queen and country whilst I stayed home I decided it best to take a bit of a break from performing as the first couple for months were tough and I could barely stay away to make something to eat after I got home from work. Keeping up a full time job, looking after a puppy and adjusting to the new routine and life on my own was exhausting. I know there’s people who are left behind with kids in tow, I’m not trying to stay I was any worse, just that I felt the effects and strain too.

As exhausting as she was my fur baby beagle, Bella was truly a blessing whilst he was away. I’m never wanting kids so I am one of those people who treat their dogs like their kids. She kept me company and was fantastic at cuddling my blues away on cold empty evenings alone. It meant that someone was eager to see me when I got home, gave me lots of joy and laughs and meant the house was never quiet. That for me is that hardest, having a quiet house is the loudest alone sound!

Me and my girl Bella in matching BooBoo Kitty Couture

Enough of the woe is me malarkey, iwasn’t all bad Mr Desire being away. We learnt to stay strong through more than hugetime and distance away.

soon realised I was also in the great opportunity of rekindling my social calendar, which had taken a bit of a back seat whilst I was doing all the crazy grown up stuff kinda ahead of scheduleI guess for my age, buying a house, getting married and keeping a busy full time job as well as then doing all the married stuff, I forgot how much fun being out and about with just the girls could be.

Cocktails
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t tie myself to the stove or quit seeing anyone ever. I still did occasionally go out, however most of the time I did it as a couple as we’ve been together for so long and met through friends so both have the same social circles and whenever anything was happening it was a joint invite/occasion/appearance.

At first I wanted to keep busy and planning dates with the girls gave me things to look forward to each week and with each passing week things go easier and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my friends as well as the few nights in with a good G&T, beagle cuddles and a catch up on my sky+ box.

I would go out or even stay in a with girlfriends 2-3+ times a week. And I truely acknowledge without the girls (Bella included) I really wouldn’t have been able to survive the 7months, hard and enduring as they were, they all really made it so much easier. Looking forward to having fun with people you love really takes you away from any hard and unpleasant times in anyone’s life. And so I am eternally grateful for them being there for me, listening to me and letting me have the oddmoan, supporting me and just plain being themselves for me to enjoy great times with.

BooBoo Kitty and I enjoying cocktails

 
Whats this...more cocktails!??
Ok so we drank cocktails...a lot!
  
Ok quite a soppy and heartfelt start to the post but its something that’s been on my mind since February, when the Mr left, I really do love and appreciate my girlfriends.
I thought I was going to miss out on so much this year, but if anything I’ve been given so much more! I know the Mr is also grateful for my girlfriends support and looking after me whilst he was away.

Now he’s back we’ve been catching up on the best part of the year that we’ve missed out on together and I’ve missed seeing the girls as much as did and I know I wont be able to keep up the social calendar as much as I used to, but I’m looking forward to planning more girlie adventures!


Ms Booboo kitty, Lucille Needles and I met the wonderful Anna Fur Laxis
I now also have more confidence in people and have re-establish my faith in people in many ways, it has also made me realise that cliché ‘you know who your true friends are’, buts its true, it has. Not that this is a bitchy comment at all its made me truley appriciate the ones I can go to for anything and know they'll be there, what I really mean is Thank you! I’ll never forget the love and support I received from all of them. I’ll always be there for them in no uncertain terms at the drop of a hat, but for now I’m looking forward to more dinner dates, going out for cocktails, hair styling-pizza nights in, dog walks and general great times with the ladies I love.

Rose x






Tuesday 10 April 2012

What’s in a name?

I’ve been contemplating for a while now, changing my stage name. I’ve not been entirely happy with it for a while as I just felt it wasn’t quite me or effective enough to describe my character or acts.

I had almost decided on a new name but after speaking with a well known performer, who offered loads of advice and guidance, I decided that I was just going to edit my name and keep the uniqueness of it as I had been working on establishing myself and branding that image and I had noticed that it was catching and people were beginning to recognise it. So thinking back, it was silly to try and use a rather generic name and probably start from scratch and probably even get lost in the midst of things.

It was so helpful to get another performers thoughts and perspective on it, one that has been in the industry for some time and had a unique and well established image and brand as a performer.

SO from now on, I will be changing and updating everything to be known as Rose Desire.

No one really understood the play on words of Desire-Belle for Desirable, and I thought that if I have to explain it to everyone, then it isn’t really doing its job and I should just stick to something that was effective of its uniqueness and just use Desire. It seems more to the point and less of a (confusing) mouthful!

I’m rather happy with my new, adjusted name, one that I’ll be working with from now on.

I will be making the changes and updates to my website and othet areas in the next few days. 
Rose

Long time, no blog post


It’s been far too long since I even looked at this. I have had many ideas and moments that I have thought about blogging, but it has become something of the wayside. (Is that the correct word/term??)

However, I vow that I will make more of an effort and attempt at adding something at least once a month in the hope that it will become a habit and one that I enjoy, because I think I will enjoy it.

Anyway, here goes…let the catch up begin.


A lot has happened, I’m so busy. I am currently working on 3 new acts, 2 of which have been an idea since last year and a new one that I am very excited about.

For my latest idea, I am having part of the costume made by my very talented friend and business owner BooBooKitty Couture. Do go and check her dresses out and talk about your ideas with her. She's a genius with a needle and thread!

I have quite a collection of BooBoo Kitty Couture building in my wardrobe. I just love how it’s made just for me and its one of a kind and they fit like a dream, being made to your own specifications. Have a look on her brand new website, you may see little old me on there somewhere!

I love popping over for a cup of tea and puppy hugs from her adorable pug Maybellene – an added bonus to dress shopping

one of my BBKC dresses
In my latest BBKC with Bella in her matching scarf




I must admit, however, I am taking it a bit easier this year on the burlesque front. I'm not booking as many shows this year as the husband is working away for most of the year, I am so busy trying to adjust to life on my own and making my own routines whilst working full time, taking care of a very active beagle and keeping the house in ship shape. I don’t have kids, but I am exhausted every day. Its been very hard, I can't wait for his return in August.

I am, however, taking the this time to concentrateon creating my new acts and thinking about my character and performances.

I recently read another blog by Havana Hurricane, who spoke of the exact things I was thinking and I felt assured that I wasn’t just stuck in a rut or on my own with my thoughts. 

Like Havana I'm thinking a lot about my performances and concentrating on making my new acts the best they can be and branding myself better (which will follow in the next post). I'd also like to look into doing more photoshoots and working on the new branding, stepping out of my comfort zone and trying some new styles and ideas that I have, both on stage and infront on the camera.

We're practically echoing the same thoughts! Check out her blog and add to the number of followers she has, as she has also taken back to the blogging world.


In other news, I now have super red hair thanks to my lovely friend Lucille, (check out her blog, one of my favourite lunch break reads), who specialises in vintage hair styling. It’s taken us a little while, but I am in love with the vibrancy and richness of the colour.



I have more ideas and subjects to blog about, but I will save it for another post!

I’ll be back soon!

Rose x