For the first four days of this week, The Sassy Minx is going to be a little bit different.

It’s unusual for us to reference all things politics as, but with election fever gripping the country amidst the upcoming General Election, it’s become very difficult to ignore the ongoing press feuds between parties and confusion about the policies they plan on implementing through the press.

Both of The Sassy Minxes have been thinking about the changes that could stem from the election, what with Lisa, having visited the House of Commons earlier this year, regarding her important work with young people, and myself losing my job in the avoidable (?) recession last year, it seems that whoever is elected into parliament needs to address that Britain needs some TLC in most areas. Except Lisa and I really don’t know who to vote for, especially as I avoid reading any sort of mainstream media literature as that seems to focus on the arguments in parliament rather than actually delivering facts of what is being done, or what will be done to help improve situations.

As positive young women, it’s difficult to find politicians to relate to, especially as there are only very few female MP’s.

We both follow Sarah Brown on Twitter, and Samantha Cameron is often documented on the pages of magazines like Grazia, due to her work with Mulberry, but this is the easy option for us, as these are the wives of politicians and don’t delve so deeply into the actual situations that are affecting our country.

I like Theresa May’s shoes, but it took the tabloid pages to tell me about them in the first place, and we both knew who Maggie Thatcher, Mo Mowlam and the suffragettes, who actually enabled us as women to vote, were. If I am honest, I know more about Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni, respective wives of the US and French presidents than I do about ANY female politician in this country, and I would like to think that I am an intelligent woman with a voice of her own.

With this in mind, we thought that it would be helpful if a female representative from each party could fill us in on what their plans are, how they will back this up, or what actions they’re taking now. Not only that, but what is suitable for our demographic as young women, some of us single career girls, some of us working mothers and wives/girlfriends, from all different walks of life. So that’s what we’ve done.

The next three days, are dedicated to a female MP representative from each of the three main political parties-Conservatives, Lib Dems and Labour. I also considered-but then reconsidered-trying to gain an interview with a female member of the BNP, as I have found out many of my peers, men and women, are going to be voting for them, which rightly/wrongly, alarms me slightly. We hope you see that we have delivered an unbiased set of interviews, and we hope that they can help you to believe that your vote and voice, does, and must, count.

We also thought that to lighten this up somewhat, we would deliver some Sassy Manifesto’s of our own. We want to know;

a;) What manifesto do you make for yourself?
b.) What would you do if you could be in charge of the country or what would you like to see?

Please remember we will not publish anything that’s negative, but we’d LOVE to know what you would do, if you were in charge!

AIMEE’S MANIFESTO:
a.) To work towards maintaining a healthy body, ready for summer! So lots of good food, rest and excercise!
b.) I would like to see a minimum wage pay rise that reflects the cost of living – it is very difficult to be able to live beyond rent and utility outgoings, and life isn’t just for working! I earn above the minimum wage and I don’t ever know how I will be able to afford a house of my own, let alone a wedding or a child.

LISA’S MANIFESTO
a.) To make chocolate free for women for an entire week each month – just think how many arguments would be spared, boykind, you should totally vote for this…
b.) To make sure young girls are taught about self-esteem and positive body image from age 6 and upwards – this is my big project for after the election – bring it!
c.) That everyone should be issued with a pair of pink-tinted shades – the world is a much, much better place with them on…
d.) That people HAVE to smile at each other on the tube – c’mon, lighten up commuter types!

When I first moved to Hong Kong, I started to work with some amazing Chinese girls, who giggled at my funny English ways and one of them, an amazing illustrator and designer called Mei Mei Man, always went out of her way to make me feel welcome. We bonded over our love for The Virgin Suicides, vintage clothing and a love of the french language – both of us couldn’t speak it very well, but we tried! I’ve included her self portrait above, and one of her illustrations below – go to her wonderful website for more. She’s studying in France, where she will attend art school…

Mei Mei, sum yourself up and show us what you are all about!
I love Art. I love Music. I love beautiful clothes. I love shoes. I love vintage.
I draw, I sew, I knitted, I listen to good music, I wear beautiful clothes, I wear cool shoes, I always go to vintage shops.
I left Hong Kong to study abroad in France, Nantes. It was, and still is, my dream. I gave up to work for fashion industry because I know it can’t satisfy my creativity-I want to create so many different things. I needed to leave my birth place of Hong Kong for my inspiration. I want to go to England, Germany, Spain and Italy travelling. But I chose France, because It’s cheaper for me…haha…$$$ I am sure Paris is the best place for art, and also the $ problem, I choose to stay in Nantes. Overall France is, the better place for art than Hong Kong!

Who/what inspires you and why?
Everyone can inspire me. When he is singing a song, when she is crying, when she is laughing, when he is talking with me….

What do you love about being a woman in the world?
I LOVE being a woman. It’s sexy. I love being a woman, to having sex!

Where are your five must-go destinations for inspiration, life..?
Bacelona, Slovenia, Dubrovnik, New York and Tibet.

What has been your proudest moment so far?
I can do what I want, I can be what I want to be.

Which five tracks make Mei’s day?
1. La vie en rose-Edith Piaf
2. Friday night saturday morning-Nouvelle Vague
3. Venus- Air
4. Look for the silver lining-Chet Baker
5. Sugar Town-Zooey Deschanel

What are your five must-have, can’t live without fashion and beauty items?
Underground leather boots with buckles.
Photo
Agent provocateur black lace lingerie play suit.
Bourjois Black eyeliner pen and eye shadow.
Vintage Leopard pattern fur coat. (I prefer the faux fur )
Japan Kiss me mascara.

What makes you jump-in-the-air happy?
Blue sky

What is your life Motto?
Life is unfair, kill yourself or get over it.

What is next for you creatively?
Colours. I want some colours in my life, and my creativity.

Quick fire round: What is your favourite?
Shop: Mei Chi vintage fashion shop in Hong Kong
Book: French and English dictionary
Website/blog: http://meimeiman.wordpress.com/
Hang-out: Chinese supermarket in Europe
City: Nantes
Must-have beauty item: Japan Kiss me mascara
TV prog: Little Britain
Food: My mum’s cooking

What does the term Sassy Minx mean to you, Mei?
I love the whole concept of a Sassy Minx-being a woman is a beautiful and valuable thing everyday.

Mystic Medusa is a star-girl. Fact.
Since becoming a li’l obsesso about all things astrological, her site is my absolute must-go-to site on the web and because I’m such a fan-girl, I subscribe to her service called Daily Mystic, where every morning she emails me about what the planets are doing, what you can expect from the day & what kind of action to take, which is ever-so helpful when you’re as indecisive as I am!

Come meet her, she’ll wow you with her awesomeness.

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Before I published my first book, Think Pink, I prepared myself for success by ‘acting as if’.
I created a vision board that included a print out of an Amazon top 10 list with my name in the number one slot, when I met new people and they asked what I did for a living, I’d say ‘I’m a writer’, even though my book was yet to be bought by a publisher.

There’s a great quote from a fabulous book called Do Less, Achieve More in which the author, Chi-Ning Chu talks about a conversation in the 1960’s between the super successful cowboy dude, Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds who was a struggling actor at the time:

“Before the Angel of Success arrives in your life, you should devote yourself to preparing your welcome for her. Polish your craft and strengthen your body to be fit so that you can do your job and enjoy success when it comes. Sharpen your mind and spirit so they are ready to face the challenges that accompany a visitation from the Angel of Success.

If you are not ready when the angel knocks, she will flee. And who knows when she will make it back around to your door again?”

Both Burt and I know how important it is to prepare yourself so that when the Angel o’ Success comes a knocking you have a nice mug of hot chocolate and a batch of yummy scrummy cupcakes baking ready for her arrival.

I never doubted I’d be an author-girl. Now, I’m by no means the best writer in the world, but I did do everything I could to learn about the industry – I interviewed my favourite authors, I wasn’t afraid to reach out and ask for help, I learned everything there was to know about the publishing process and most importantly, which lots of wanna-be authors forget to do, I wrote. I practiced my craft every single day – in journals, writing features for magazines, passing up social dates to complete my book. I asked questions, I learned lessons, I inquired about signing books at my local book store – I got myself to a place both mentally and physically where NOT being a published author just wasn’t an option.

By raising my make-it-happen energy to a level of complete go-for-it-ness, I felt positively fearless in my pursuit. For sure I got rejected, I’ve got 42 rejection letters in a box under my bed all saying ‘thanks, but no thanks’, but when you’re prepared for success, these are just mere blips, mini diversions on your road trip to destiny.

Five years on, and I’m now a successful author with 10 published books in the Lola Love series and two brand-new exciting book projects in the pipeline. Of course I have doubts and wobbles and moments where I think ’should I just get a proper job?’ but that’s all they are, just moments and I have a career I absolutely adore all because I ‘acted as if’ and prepared for that Angel o’ Success…

Chris Guillebeau on his blogginz The Art of Nonconformity, says that among his success secrets is to ‘act as if’ too. For example, he says; even if you have a tiny blog with not many readers, act as if you have thousands of readers. Post regularly, give great care to the topics you choose to write about, and make sure that you provide lots of value in each post. You’ll probably never have a lot of readers if your attitude is the following:‘Well, this post isn’t all that great, but there’s really no use in spending lots of time to write an awesome post when I really don’t have that many readers anyway’ or ‘I’ll save my really good stuff for when I have more readers.’

You can’t wait until you’re successful and until you have a large audience to start rocking your very best work. You become successful by producing kick-ass work even when you’re teeny-tiny. This concept applies to everything, not just blogging. In order to be kick-ass, act as if you’re already kick-ass. Go on, I dare you!

Has ‘acting as if’ worked for you? I’d love to know your stories! And if you’d like to book a Sassy Session with me to help prepare you for success and kick-ass-ness contact me now!

As a diva o’ destiny, I thought I’d give you marvelous minxes the heads up on what’s comin’ up in the next couple o’ weeks…

Has life been a li’l sucky and lack-lustre lately? blame that pesky Mars for being retrograde – grr. The good news is that on the 10th of March, he’s switching it up and finally going forward – hurrah! – which will have us all screaming ‘Why hello passion and drive, welcome back!’

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Pic credit: http://i-heart.tumblr.com/post/394670743/let-go-of-what-you-think-you-know-iheart

I’ve been getting lots of mailage about how to attract a member of the opposite sex into your life, so Sassy ones, your wish is my command but first, let’s get a few things clear about this manifesting malarky…

• The law of attraction works on an energetic level, energy is always attracted to other energy vibrating on the same frequency; like attracts like, positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative.

• Your most frequent thoughts and the feelings that are attached to them will at some point manifest in physical reality: You are continually co-creating your own reality through your thoughts and the feelings attached to them.

• The universe delivers what you ask for, though not always in the package or time frame you have in mind

• So, basically, if you’re thinking and feeling positive, it automatically follows that you will attract positive manifestations into your life…

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I never realised the importance of the saying ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’ until the very end of last year. And ask, I certainly had at the beginning of 2009.

My list read a little like this…

I want to be a success as the head of a lingerie brand
To finish my novel
To write for a fashion publication
To find a boyfriend who is nice, funny and passionate but who also looks after me as an equal
Maintainance of a body that is pleasureful
Health that is healthy
A smile that laughs consistently
and finally – phew! – to meet new people that are genuine, inspiring and honest, whilst maintaining the friendships I already have.
 
I didn’t know if any of it was going to happen, but I wanted it to and I was willing to take whatever action was necessary for a success-filled 2009.
Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the joys, the sadness, and the changes that occurred in me as a woman in the space of a year. 2009 was a year of honesty and truth for me, even if that truth, cliché as it sounds, bloody hurts sometimes.

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I’m a newbie astro-girl. For sure, I’ve read a gazillion books, I’m addicted to the David Wells forecast in Spirit and Destiny magazine and I’m currently on an astrology course that frazzles my brain with talk of sextiles and sesquiquadrates, but no one makes astrology more fun and accessible than the ever-so funny and – sssh, don’t tell him – ever-so hot, US-based astrologer, Matthew Currie.

Matthew has been a pro astro-boy and counselor for 20 years, with numerous appearances on television and radio. He writes The Daily Sky at Sasstrology.com, blogs the Clueless About Dating at Astrology.com, and writes his own blog matthewastrology.blogspot.com As if that didn’t keep him busy enough, he’s author of a beyond fabulous e-book series, and host consultations with people across the world – I’ve got one this afternoon, I’m all kinds of excited about it! Come meet him, he’s awesome. Fact.

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I am often asked, sometimes by total strangers, how and why I’m so positive and smiley. Well first, I point them in the direction of the nearest bookstore so they can buy my book, Think Pink, which is the go-for-it girl’s guide to thinking positively, and then I tell them that there’s no real secret, I just work every day to fill my life with as much pleasure and fabulousness as I possibly can – adventures, pretty things, books, people I heart, long conversations, flirting, dancing, it really is a recipe for happiness…

But, there are still icky days, you know those days when an unexpected bill comes through the door, when our hair doesn’t do what it should, or in Miss Aimee’s case, you find your dog has chewed up four pairs of super-expensive Agent Provocateur undies and on those days you need to be prepared, which is why I created a Sassy Kit o’ Pleasure, because laughter and smiles are infectious and they are a great way of releasing tension or negative thoughts…

Lisa’s Sassy Kit o’ Pleasure…

Elizabeth Taylor/Doris Day/Audrey Hepburn DVD BOX SETS – flick the ‘off’ switch in your hectic head and admire and adore the stars of the silver screen – girls with curves, leading men who woo and dramatic clinches of lust…Le sigh.

BEING TICKLED – tickling is such a fine line between pleasure and pain, but being tickled and laughing so much that my tummy hurts, is one of my most favourite ways to spend an afternoon, evening or morning for that matter…

HUNK-A-DUNK-TIME – duvet + cuddles + lots of kisses + Paloma Faith/Kelianna/Carla Bruni CDs on shuffle + plotting + planning + daydreaming = totes and utter happiness.

COLOURING IN – some people meditate, some people do yoga but I colour in. It’s not just for children y’know, I love it, try it!

BAKING – it’s no secret that I LOVE cupcakes, but it’s only recently that I’ve put on a pair of heels, a Cath Kitson pinny and channeled both my inner and outer Nigella to bake my own…Not only do I love rocking a Nigella ensemble and licking my spoon seductively, I love adding pretty frosting and most importantly, eating them.

PLAY – paint a picture, re-read a book from your childhood – I recommend anything by Judy Blume, splash in huge puddle in your flip-flops, get crafty because stitchin’ is bitchin’, there doesn’t always have to be an end result, just have fun enjoying the moment!

CHOCOLATE – it’s good for you. Fact.

PUGS – until I get my very own pug that I will name Groucho, this video ALWAYS makes me happy.

PLAYING MAKE-UP – picking a look I love, like Elizabeth Taylor in The Last Time I Saw Paris, and replicating it with very expensive make-up with nowhere in particular to go…

LONG CONVERSATIONS – late night conversations with a boy you’re crushing on, long chats with your best g-friend over tea and cake, passionate discussions with far-away friends on Skype – BT were right, it is good to talk.

FLIRTING – This is me, mid-flirt. I’m not going to lie, I LOVE to flirt. Only last week, I found myself flirting outrageously with the boy behind the counter in Subway – he was hot, he was covered in tattoos and told me I had the prettiest hair he’d ever seen. I left Subway with a tuna 6inch baguette, an offer of a date with aforementioned hot boy – I politely declined, he was far too young for me – and a big smile o my face because flirting should make your day, not just his. I’ve also received two marriage proposals in a month when I’ve rarely left the house, which is ever so promising seeing as I have my eye on the prettiest dress from Vivien of Holloway that I ‘d love to get married in while on a trip to Vegas with a hot boy in a retro suit…Girls, you need to make pleasure a priority, it’s the law o’ Sassiness.

SPIRITUAL LEARNING – I love to learn, and I have a HUGE obsession with all things spiritual/occult, so nothing makes me happier than chatting with my fellow witch-y friends, studying goddesses, giving tarot readings – I now give Sassy readings read about them in Diva o’ Destiny and playing with crystals – when I’m indulging in all my witch-y goddess-y goodness I am truly happy.

What makes YOU happy? What’s in your Sassy kit o’ pleasure? Share with me!

“…Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom…”

- Marcel Proust

The gorgeous Miss Carla at MessyCarla (watch out for our interview with her this Wednesday, she’s a whole lot of awesomeness with a side dash of awesome sauce!) has named me one of her Inspirational Women of 2009 – I’m all a blush!

So, following in her inspir-o-girl footsteps, I thought it would be good to show a li’l love and gratitude to the people who make my life a whole lot sweeter…

Lindsey, Aimee, Me, Susie

My gal-pals - I LOVE them. Fact.

I never really used to be a girl’s girl, in fact up until about 8 years ago, most of my friends were boy-types – shhh, don’t tell them, but they’re ever such low maintenance – but what I didn’t know, that I do now, is that having gal pals makes life significantly better. Especially when they come in the shape of my friends, who I simply adore. They may be scattered across the globe – everywhere from NY, Glastonbury, Australia, Italiano, London, San Fran, Scotland – but to know they’re just a call or an email away, makes me happier than any Vivienne Westwood bag ever could…

Sarra and I

Sarra Manning – Author girl, editor and my number one inspir-o-girl.

Why? Because when Sarra was Ed-girl at my all-time favourite magazine J17, she put up with endless emails from me asking if I could write for the magazine, to shut me up she gave me an internship, I was beside myself and got to write for at least 4 issues before it closed – that was nothing to do with me, btw – that was where my freelance career began – Sarra, you rule.

Leonie Allan – goddess.

Leonie’s lovely, beautiful and magical – she hosts creative e-courses that I LOVE, I did her her Creative Goddess e-course and it was totes bliss-kissed, she provides goddess guidance, creates ah-mazing art – I have a piece on the wall of the Pink Palace, and she writes an inspir-o blogginz that you should definitely subscribe to….yep, I’m a fan-girl. Her blogginz and gorgeous art make me smile happy smiles right from my heart – J’adore.

Poppy King – lipstick queen.

I am shame-faced that I only found out about Poppy and her lipsticks o’ loveliness last month. I bought her book Lessons of a Lipstick Queen purely by chance in a bookshop in Brighton, and I fell in girl-crush with her honesty, authenticity and total fabulousity – she started her own lipstick brand when she turned 18, because she couldn’t find any lipsticks that she liked. She wanted lipsticks that gave her the look of the 1940’s. Rich, opaque and filled with pigment. So… On a whim she found manufacturers to mix up some lipsticks, a business partner and the nerve to approach a few stores. It became a run away success! Obviously there’s a whole lot more to the story than that, so if you haven’t read it, go buy a copy now, you will be inspired – this woman is kick-ass.

Paloma Faith – lady o’ creativeness

Not only is she the creator of my favourite album of 2009, The Truth or Something Beautiful, she’s crazy talented, she’s kooky, she’s a li’l dorky, she’s funny and she wears the best outfits I have EVER seen. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

The Piperita Patties - best girl-band. EVER.

I LOVE their shouty, feel-good, sugar-coated lyrics, I LOVE that Miss Maria Luisa is one of my BFF’s, I LOVE them. Simplez.

Cathy Cassidy - Author-girl and cheerleader

I’m so lucky that my mentor is Miss Cathy – she’s a super-talented children’s author, she tells me everything is going to be alright when I think I might pull my hair out, she lets me stay in her tipi – I only lasted one night! And she’s one of the best friends a girl can ask for – I heart you CC!

There is simply not enough room for me to include ALL my favourites,  but rest assured Sassy Minx will be filled-to-the-brim with my inspir-o-girls ALL year! Care to share some love for your favourite ladies?

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