Phew.

I AM SO HAPPY. Yes, that's right, I am so happy I am speaking in capitals... And that's just extreme happiness, isn't it?

So much to say, and I'm not sure how to make it coherent, all this information is just fighting to come out, spill over onto the surface in no particular order. I'll just go for it, and hope it makes semblance of sense.

So, after my port review I was contacted by a few English photographers, and realised it may be worth considering taking a trip down south, specifically Leeds area initially. I then find that another model on the site, the fabulous Chrissie Red, is already taking a trip with one of her friends, Valentina Velvet, and that I am more than welcome to go with them... After checking with work I could get the time off, it was a definite plan! Chrissie has already booked the first 3 days - 1 night in Newcastle, 2 nights in Leeds - and the remaining 2 nights will be in Liverpool and Preston. Excited? Oh yes, I think so. In all honesty, it's going to be a huge experience for me in a lot of ways - I'm still relatively new to modelling so this will be my first trip to seek out shoots, as well as being my first trip away that is essentially alone. I think I'm going to miss my boyfriend Michael terribly, as we've not spent more than a night apart since moving in together. I think what I'll miss the most though is telling him about my adventures every night, and having him tease me but be secretly proud anyway. But this is going to be such a good experience and a good opportunity, and five days really isn't all that long! I love that I have someone that supports me like he does.

I just need to get my finger out and get some more shoots booked over those five days; just posted a casting for the Newcastle date so hopefully will have some offers from that soon, fingers crossed.

So aside from that, I did a shoot last night with the amazing Andrew Moore, and met Fiona Henderson, who is a lovely and exceptionally talented make-up artist. Working with them both was so much fun, I have to say it took a while for me to get into my stride for whatever reason, but after some time I think I managed to let go :) Don't know what was wrong with me in the beginning, but Andrew has assured me he still got plenty of usable shots. The shoot didn't finish til 1am so I'm understandably a bit knackered today (I was working at 7.30am yesterday morning so had been up nearly 24 hours...) but I still think it was well worth it. Hopefully poor Andrew and Fiona will think the same! They were really great though, both at making me feel comfortable and being insanely generous with their time. Yay!

Tomorrow I have a shoot with Sam Williamson again, really looking forward to it. This time we'll have a make up artist, Amber Khan. Only problem is, we need some more doll-like clothing, and none of the dress shops are keen on loaning us anything, so it's getting a little frustrating. The theme is broken doll, and I'm sure we'll pull something off without any loaned items, but they would have been helpful! Sunday brings the shoot with Timea, and a nice 5am start, so that we can leave Edinburgh by 7, eeeeek. Going to be a great shoot though so it will all be worthwhile :)

Quick diet update - I think I'm doing pretty well with the eating healthily part (contrary to popular belief I am not a massive scoffer of chocolate and other assorted beacons of fattyness), but the exercise is still proving elusive to me. Now I know I can do 400 crunches in a night, but that doesn't mean I necessarily want to. I am just too impatient, I want results now and I'll get bored if I don't get any instantly. Now before I get any messages saying that's a ridiculous attitude, I am fully aware of that, and I know full well I'll need to put effort into it. Believe me, I'm trying, and I'm working on it. Urgh :(

Think that's all for now... Be back soon I'm sure.

Not so pretty things.

I don't think I could have looked any less like a model today, got up late and headed to work with scraped back hair, hastily applied make-up and a massive baggy jumper paired with leggings. It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world. But I still feel so good!

I'm having such a positive time at the moment, and the end of this week will be pretty incredible - I have three shoots and I'm really looking forward to each of them. I seem to have really lucked out, as they say, since I've only really been modelling since December, but I think the people I have worked with have been fabulous.

I am realising now though that I'll need to shift a little bit of weight; not lots, but at the moment I'm not quite at the required 'model' level yet. I am considering joining a gym, but my lack of a gym-buddy means I'm procrastinating. The only thing worse than the thought of me in gym gear, sweating profusely and collapsing of heart failure in front of a load of beautiful, shapely people, is the thought of me in gym gear, sweating profusely, and collapsing of heart failure in front of a load of beautiful, shapely people ALONE. I'm of the Phoebe from friends branch of fitness - all flailing arms and absolutely no co-ordination. Plus, myself and good fatty food have a long-held, deep relationship... I think it would be positively unfaithful for me to start a new one with the salad. Right?

Beautiful People

Just back from having a little drink with Timea and her lovely partner... What amazing, remarkable people they are! I think I had one of the most genuinely interesting conversations that I've had in a long time, and so now I can't wait to shoot with her next weekend.

It's lovely to find a person that shares the same passion for literature as well, and who is actually able to hold a discussion over works that run a little deeper than PS I Love You or Danielle Steele. Plus, anyone that likes Kundera is a hero in my eyes. My mission now is to find her some good old-fashioned, gritty Scottish literature for her to sink her teeth into, and in return she'll put me on to some of her native Hungarian poetry :) And that's a pretty good deal, I think.

I posted my very first portfolio review thread on Purestorm today as well, expecting a barrage of insults and critical opinions with possibly some slight glimmers of positivity poking through the gloom. What actually happened was spectacularly refreshing - no negative comments at all (so far anyway), simply nice comments and where required, constructive critique. For someone who doesn't have the highest levels of self-confidence, that was a pretty good feeling, and I hope I can just keep getting better from this.

I have to say, I'm so glad I started this blog now... I have the feeling it may be used and abused...

And so it begins.

So I figured while I'm sitting in work, watching the tourists like the battle-hardened people watcher that I am, I could for once put my time to good use and actually begin this blog.

Yesterday was a good day for me. In terms of weather, Edinburgh was less than glorious; with lashings of hard, cold rain, and that terrible soul-destroying wind that bites and scrapes relentlessly. If there is one weather condition I utterly detest, it's wind of that nature and strength, it just destroys everything! I had another reason to loathe the conditions yesterday, as they had ruined plans for an outdoor location shoot with the lovely photographer Sam Williamson.

But as both of us had been so excited about shooting together, we decided to try something simple indoors in Sam's father's flat. I instantly fell in love with the place - cosily and beautifully decorated with stylish touches; plush antique-looking leather armchairs, old Edinburgh architectural features. Considering it was meant to be a 'simple' shoot, I think we did pretty well, and had about 6 outfit changes. It was also my first attempt at a shoot without a make up artist present, but I'm pretty pleased at the results I achieved myself! Can't wait to see the finished product, and Sam herself is so lovely, I'm glad that we're getting to rearrange the cancelled outdoor shoot. :)

Tonight I'll be meeting with a photographer called Timea Porubszky to discuss a shoot next Sunday, and her concept is fabulous so I'm pretty excited. More details on that after the shoot I think! I definitely have a lot to look forward to in the next week or two.

But now I'd better head back to the mundane, I work in a highland tour company, where I'm sure tourists are hired professionally just to aggravate me... Hopefully I'll get a chance to update again soon though, as I didn't realise how much I had to say until I started saying it!

Hello Blogspot.

Okay... This is my very first blog, so I apologise in advance if it is somewhat less than illuminating. Although I have to say, I'm really hoping this will end up being an outlet for me; I love to write (it's why I'm a Literature student) but in recent months I've been letting it slide. This is my way of combining two passions, the new and old; writing and modelling.

This blog will be used as a kind of diary to my new schedule, and my new pursuits, news of shoots and some photos from them, with some of my 'real life' thrown in the mix as well. I am under no illusion that this will be interesting to anyone other than myself, but hey, it's my blog right!?

Hope to update properly soon :)