NoteBook Of A Girl. Entry #8

Suits and plain clothed office workers, like worker ants follow the rote that they know best, from bus to tube, tube to bus, bus to main line train, tube to main lines.

heading home on a friday night,  some heading out to central London to become apart of the crowed on the throw-up-fridays last train out of town. crooked ties and listed ties, panda eyes and messed up hair staggering out into the surrounding suburbs of quite.

Amongst The crowds, tourists rome, confused and dazed  unsure what way to go is best. pointing and staring up at the surrounding buildings. 

A controlled chaos at Victoria station through the bus station and train station this friday late afternoon. with a fast setting winter sun and cloud silver grey sky’s above.

People all dressed up for a night of entertainment at the theatre a trip to Yorkshire or a trip to Oz, I wonder which shale it be,

As I stand at the bus station waiting to leave with work back and change of cloths. Moving traffic, dead still, as people unaware walk out in to the street without a care.

work men on here break stand outside the the work sight entrance with a cup of coffee form Costa coffee and a roll up cigarette admiring and laughing at the walking dead. The girls with high healed stilettos shoes, short skirts and low cut tops. looking at down at their phones taking selfies, unsteady in their high healed stilettos shoes.

Standing at a bus stop waiting. With my bag with work tools and blacks and over night bag. 

I stand and observe the  friday night move in. With a bugger I wait for a big red London bus, to tack me north, home ward bound. Creating story’s in my head for those I see in this controlled chaos at Victoria station through the bus station and train station this friday late afternoon.

The young woman that is dressed to impress, short skirt and designer  shoes,  at first sight you might think, that she is out for fun to find a man, she  has a rep for being easy, a bit city bike you might say. 

But what if I was to say that Sunday morning with out fail you will find her in church. placing bibles on each seat, treating each of the conjuration with a smile and good manners. Helping in the Sunday school, cooking meals for the homeless, there for each choir practice. and church meeting.. But week nights are hers, to drink and dance with who she choses and how she wishes She is saving her self for that one special man. In modern world that her parents do approve of, nor those how belong to the same flock, If they did do out think that they would pray for to give up the lifestyle she lives?

The guy with his Tailored  suit and brief case, shiny shoes and designer coat. The guy with the good looks charm the high flying career, he has it all. the looks the charm the job the trophy wife.

On returning home he is faced with darkness and hate, A wife with a short temper and untrusting thoughts, how hits him and calls him names, cheats and lies and is caring another mans child in her belly. He sees know why out, to ashamed to admit he needs help.

Some of the made up lives I have thought up standing at Victoria station of the people I see walking  to and from the bus station and train station this friday late afternoon.

On  an empty bus I do sit. top deck front seat, feet reading on my work bag, pen and note book in hand. A fast setting sun over London town, a shift change at the servants entrance at Buckingham place  High stone walls lined with razor wire a fortress are these walls protecting  but one family. 

At Hyde Park corner the bus becomes more full, loud lively chatter filling this big red London bus. Tourists heading out to see the local night life. City workers heading out to live it up in there city they work for. residence heading home and residence heading to work. 

The hard rock cafe with its awnings brown  and yellow and its que out side, passing restaurant and coffee shops, hotels and The Ritz All the places I can but dream of staying the night with in.

The lights at Piccadilly Circus lights seam brighter in the low light of dusk that is shrouding this city the clouds of grey and slier have faded in to gold and pink hang above the buildings like something in a film at the end of the would. How but me has noticed the beauty above our heads? Are all they looking down and  viewing life through film on their phones.

Past Ripley’s Believe It on Not! past Japan Centre, Past the Lyric theatre where plays Thriller. The Apollo, The Gielud,The French revolution at The Queens eight times a week. China Town all dressed up for the year of the Monkey to begin.

The 30 something women that sits down decide me head down eyes fixated on the screen of her phone. Long skirt and high buttoned up shirt and long coat, immaculate, hair in a bun and perfect skin with no make up,  A Liberian prim and proper at first glance you may believe. Yet at home she's the mistress stocking and suspenders blindfolds and handcuffs.

Another made up life that I created on the bus ride home this late friday afternoon.

©sarah jane patel

                                                   

Down The Rabbit Hole

Down the rabbit hole I do fall. Where it goes to, I do not no.

To my dismay, Night becomes day and day becomes night.

Up becomes down, and down becomes right. 

Glasses re-emptying in to half full bottles. 

Cascading wine flowing backwards into the the bottle.

Fish with eagle wings, flying in the clouds.

Empty green bottles, with eyes and frowns.

Clocks running backwards, with red high heel stilettos .

Am I falling or am I rising. 

As down the rabbit hole I do go.

Smiles with no faces and disembodied voices.

Shapes changing colour that also change their shape.

Spinning villain faces upon a spring of a Jack-in-a-box face.

An uprooted apple tree, that floats upon the breeze.

Blossom pink flowers, that bloom in to green leaves.

Rapped growing fruit among the autumn changing leaves.

Falling from the branches and dancing in the non existing breeze.

Growing ever closer towards my falling gaze,

The flesh rotes away revealing its human skull seed.

The Viking dragon boats sailing out of water, 

With their magical devilish wings.

Dancing whales within the heavens with mythological spirit beings.

With a top hat and waistcoat swimming in champagne.

As the Viking Dragon boats chase a rainbow.

Red, yellow. Pink and green. around the apple tree

Flowers turn to fairies as lighting hits the leaves.

Whispers in the darkness, sends chills down my spine.

On this never ending circus ride.

With screams in corked glass jars.

crying, screaming to get out.

Un nerving sounds with what seams to have no cause. 

And floating broken mirror shards.

Reflecting unperfect sights.

Down deep into the rabbit hole I do fall.

In to the dark depths of my own psyche I do go.

Am I falling or am I rising. 

As down the rabbit hole I do go.

©2016 sarah jane patel

Hello 2016

                                   

It is little over a week into 2016 and I have already managed to get myself back into old routine that for me over 2 years.

If I can keep this up,  I’ll be very happy. and hopefully I will succeed in achieving my goal’s for this year.

The past two years were not my friends, With distractions, bad vibes and people, and some big changes at work with a complete staff change with in two months, its been very much a mental and emotional roller coaster. 

So this new year is the all about keeping mind in a good place and not letting myself slip in to a dark rut with bad habits.

My Goals for 2016.

Clear mind and sole:

This may should like a strange title for this.

Its about creating a pleasant space to work and live in. tiding my home, clearing my desk from the pile of books and notebooks. My work space to work, my looker and my folders. 

Write books not Blogs:

Well maybe a bit of both. have notebooks full of ideas and posts just awing to be typed and published.

The plan is to post 3 time a month minimum. on my Vm post a new post at lest once month with a lot of past post editing 

Shout don’t whisper:

this is very much linked to the blogs, it is to be more active on social media, posting links to new posts and old posts. 

A book a day:

Well not really a book a day, a least to read every day on the bus home and on my break.

Art:

year before last (2014) I filled up 20 sketchbooks. Last year (2015) I filled up two. so this year I really want to do more drawing. 

I am thinking doing a sketch a day for one month then see if I can carry it on longer. I also have the “Anti Journal” which i want to work through.

52 Lists:

I found this book on Pintrest. each week you list things such as your goals for the year, your favourite books, music, I followed the like to amazon but found it was sold out. But I did found that i could view inside, and found that it had shots of the contents pages. So I took not of the lists and I am using a Moleskine sketchbook to create my own.

I have all my goals listed in my Midori along with a home made week to a view planer where I am writing a quote a day, or at least a note, its all inspiring.

I hope that i can keep up with the routine that I have got back in to so quickly and that I can complete my goals for this year and maybe even create more.

Wishing all a good 2016. Xx

How To Make Fake Blood For All Hallows' Eve.

With Halloween fast approaching I thought this would be a good time to share some recipe's for blood...
The brand that I have been using is Grimas, they make two different shades, film blood ‘A’ and film blood ‘B’. 'B' is the darker of the two and is the most popular and sells out before the big night.

The most frequently ask question I get asked are;

Q.

Which one looks more realistic blood.

A.

And that would be film blood 'B' as it is black red, while film blood A is bright red, (or as we call it hammer horror film blood)

Most professional-quality fake blood uses toxic compounds like antifreeze. Since you're likely to use your blood at parties or haunted houses, and such gatherings are often magnets for children (and children + antifreeze = bad). So, we'll start with the non-toxic variety of fake blood. It may not be the choice of indie horror film directors, but it'll get the job done for Halloween.
Here's the recipes.

Recipe One: Corn Syrup Blood

• White corn syrup
• Red food colouring
• Water
• Blue or green food colouring
• Arrowroot powder or Corn Starch

Start with about 1 tablespoon of Arrowroot powder or Corn Starch in a large bowl. Either one of these will do, though Arrowroot powder is better for avoiding lumps. Now add about a cup of White Corn Syrup and mix it up with the powder. The results will be rather thick, so once you have it mixed, start thinning it down with water until you get something close to the consistency of blood -- about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water should do the trick.
Now that you have a base, it's time to add the dye. Start with the red and add a few drops at a time, mixing thoroughly until you have a nice red color. But of course, real blood isn't bright red. That's where the blue and green dye comes in. Add a couple of drops of either colour until it looks more like actual blood.
Once it looks like blood, set your mixture aside and let it thicken a bit before applying it to your costume. If you're looking for something a bit more edible, add a few drops of peppermint extract. Mmmm -- minty blood!
CAUTION: This mixture will stain your clothes and might temporarily discolour your skin as well.

It won't leach lead into your skin or do anything else truly frightening, but you definitely don't want to let this fake blood near your mouth, eyes, nose or any other orifices.

Recipe Two: Blood Of Hair Gel

• Water-soluble hair gel. (alcohol-free)
• Water-soluble personal lubricant
• Red food colouring or liquid dye
• Blue or green food colouring or liquid dye

Pour alcohol-free, water-soluble hair gel in a bowl. We're going to add some other liquids so you only need to use about three-quarters of what you want the total amount of blood to be. Now add some water-soluble personal lubricant (Astroglide works well here). You want the lubricant to thin the hair gel down so that it's just slightly thicker than water -- start with a small amount and add more if you need it.
Now it's time to colour the mixture. As with the non-toxic version, start with red dye and then add blue or green to shift the color to something more bloodlike. Chocolate syrup can also be used to create a bit more maroon color.
The advantage of this blood is that it's not sticky and, if you experiment a little bit, you'll find that flinging it around creates very realistic splatters.
But, as with the other variety, use caution since this mixture will stain just about everything it touches.

Recipe Three: Kitchen Cupboard Blood 

• Flower
• Syrup
• Red food colouring
• Blue food colouring

Mix 5ml of flower and 20ml syrup in mixing bowl
Add one cap of red food colouring
Dab (very small amount) of blue food coloring and mix in
Put in container for use on set

RUMOUR: add washing up liquid/powder makes the fake blood wash out of clothes (not tested, only use on old clothes first)
Try different colours by varying amount of blue food colouring
Thick blood by adding chocolate sauce
Thinner blood by adding water

Recipe Four: Homemade Fake Blood

• 1 c. Karo Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Water
• 2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 1 tsp Yellow Food Coloring

Mix together in a mixing bowl and you're done. Try adding blue or yellow for a different shade.

Recipe Five: Chocolate Fake Blood

• 1/2 c. Warm Water
• 4 Tbsp Corn Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
• 1 tsp Red Food Colouring

Mix the water and cocoa together and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let the concoction sit for awhile and skim the bubbles off of the top. Add a couple of drops of yellow food colouring if you're not satisfied.

Recipe Six: Simple Fake Blood

• Clear Corn Syrup
• Red Food Colouring
• Milk - Optional

However much fake blood is how much corn syrup you'll need. Pour it into a bowl and mix in some red food colouring. Add some blue if you like. Adding a small amount of milk will make the blood appear darker and thicker.

Recipe Seven: Realistic Recipe

• 2/3 c. Corn Syrup
• 1/3 c. Warm Water
• 5 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 4 tsp red food colouring
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
• 2 drops of green or yellow food colouring

Mix the corn starch with the water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the food colouring slowly, checking for colour.

Recipe Eight: Gravy Blood
This is fairly new and I haven't had chance to test it properly but its looks GREAT!

• Gravy Granules
• Red Food Colouring
• HOT Water

The directions are EASY, all you do is make the gravy up as you would normally but if you feel like it, you can make it a bit thicker, then add the red food colouring. It's up to you how much you add but too much will stain as it will not have been diluted enough.

Recipe Nine: Cheap 'N' Easy Blood
This is good for spidering:

• Plain Flour
• Water
• Red Food Colouring
• 1 tsp. of Coffee

Boil the water on the stove, then sieve in the flour, making sure you get ALL of the lumps out. The quantity of ingredients aren't important, it just depends on how much you want. Once you have the flour mixed nicely into the water it should look nice and thick. Next, add the red food coloring.
You will notice that it's a ghastly, bright red colour but don't worry this is why we add the coffee. It is important that when you add the coffee to make sure the mixture is hot, otherwise it wont dissolve, but up until adding the coffee can be done in a ordinary mixing jug or pan.