Sparkle 2009

Cheer cheer right to the end, it's Sparkle Weekend!!

If you've no idea what Sparkle is, check out the Sparkle website before we start.

Now everyone's up to speed, I took Friday off for getting ready and travelling to Manchester, I decided that I would treat myself to some false nails for the weekend and got to attaching them, first filing my nails and pushing the cuticles to where they should be, then started with the sticking while watching some comedy on BBC iPlayer. All was going well until I got to my thumb, the tricksy little tyke just wouldn't stick on my thumb, I think the nail is too flat and it kept popping the false nail off, I decided to attach the rest of them on my other hand and come back to the thumb but when I returned the same happened, and again in the morning when I tried for the final time! That was it, they had to all come off, such a shame because I really liked wearing them, the issue with taking them off was that the glue is really annoying and doesn't come off too easily so I was left with shiny patches on my nails where the glue wouldn't come off. I've vowed never to use them again, when I go full time I will get them done properly.

Anyway I drove up on Friday leaving sunny Devon about midday, I hadn't really thought about what time I'd be going through Brumlington which turned out to be rush hour taking the journey time to 6 hours - I felt completely frazzled at the end when I finally arrived after having a slight issue with a one way street and finding the car park. I met Sara and she helped me get my stuff up to the apartment where Rach was getting ready, it was in a great location looking over Canal Street. I got ready after realising the "dress" I was going to wear was in fact a jumper and would not work as a dress.



At the TINT party with SteffieOnce ready we headed over to where the TINT party what happening, the other end of Canal street. It was great to see a lot of familiar and friendly faces, Beckie Cannons the hostess with the mostess, this title for people isn't always true for people however with Beckie it certainly is with no doubt in my mind 100% true. After a few drinks and getting told off for having a party in their apartment we headed out on the town, to Canal Street! It was great night moving between various bars, we bumped in to a Hen Party - one of the many - and got chatting to a lovely girl who had a TS friend so she was asking about where I was down the TS road, it was good.



Steffie, me, Rach and SaraThe next morning, none of us woke up very early so we had some breakfast, got ready and headed out to the park to see what was going on and generally have a mooch about. It was semi-overcast when we headed out but when we got the the park it got lovely and sunny which made it all the better, Steffie met us there so we went around with her, she's always enthusiastic and positive - great company to have. There were various stands, from information to make-up to clothes to curry, this seemed a horrid idea to me on what was a hot day without central heating. We decided to get some lunch at one of the cafe's on Canal Street, we bumped in to Mr. D, Sarah Thompson, Lou and Debbie who were already sat having some food so we caused chaos and joined them. It was really great seeing some friendly faces I'd not seen for a such a while, I will try to remember all of you but if I miss you out it's not because I don't love you it's because I don't have a very large brain so from time to time things fall out. Stacy Bird, Claire, Fiona, Racheal Vedetta and Mr. Simon Ross, I'm sure there were more but my head's empty now. After another spell in the park we decided it was time to go back and get ready for the evening.

... While we were getting ready it had started to rain, time for a coat with a hood, luckily I'd prepared for this, ha haaa!! We bumped in to Debbie and Lou in the lift, a pleasant surprise. So off we went out in to the rain to New York, it's surprisingly close just a couple of mins walk - obviously not the one in America but a club. The music was exceedingly loud, super cheesy and didn't seem to have the best atmosphere so we only stayed for one drink, off we went in search of Beckie and Steffie out in the rain once more. We finally caught up with them in Eden which although was quite warm wasn't quite as warm as other venues. We came across Fiona whilst out on another venture out in to the wilds, it was too hot indoors and bitterly cold outdoors.

Fiona, me and KayIt was great chatting to Fiona about my journey down the TS road and hearing her experiences about it all. We got chatting to a couple that sat next to us, Kay and Kerry (GG), it was Kay's first time out and she was really nervous, she didn't need to be as she looked fab. We all have our angels, Kerry is certainly Kay's and I'm sure she will never forget that night. I bumped in to Debbie and Lou again, between you and me I think they were stalking us but I don't have any evidence, we finished off the night walking back to the apartment in the rain. Debbie was in her element looking like a 50's movie star splashing from puddle to puddle, it was so nice to see her enjoying herself so completely.

Rach, Sara and I decided to have a twilight snack and take what turned out to be a few blurred pictures, hehe.



Twilight snack and photoshootThe next day we had to be out by 11:00 so we had some breakfast and packed our things, it was so lovely to see Rach and Sara for the weekend, I couldn't have picked better company if I'd tried. They had to leave straight away but I headed back towards Canal Street in drab to meet up with Rach (Racheal Vedetta) and Simon for a coffee and a catch up as we didn't have time to talk properly on Saturday. After saying my goodbye's to Rach, Simon and Steffie who had also joined us whilst nursing a horse voice after having one or two tipples the night before, hehe.

I made the journey home with many lovely memories of the weekend swimming around my head and even more certain that I was on the right track.

Thanks to everyone at Sparkle
Jenny xxx