Happy Daisy

A Sunny Sunday

2012-02-29T11:30:00.000Z

On Sunday my parents and I went on a little outing to Brick Lane to browse the markets and go to to Spitalfields Market.

If you haven't been to Brick Lane, I recommend it, especially on a Sunday, there's so much to look at, so many colours and some very tasty food too ;) It's one of my favourite parts of town.

We ate lovely food outside in the sun - it was such a beautiful day!

Alas, I didn't actually buy anything here, but it was so nice to window shop and dream of the pretty little cameras I shall buy in the future!

I'm looking forward to Spring now, it's amazing how much better a bit of sunshine makes you feel.
A ♥

2012-02-27T23:28:00.000Z

Don't get me wrong, I love technology, I'm a little bit of an apple snob ~~once a mac never go back~~, but I do find I can lose hours and hours from my life to the internet, I can look back on days and think "What did I actually do today?" Which is pretty ridiculous to be honest. Hence my 45 minute computer allowance for part of my 40-Day Lent challenge. It reminds me of when I was younger, in the days of dial-up internet and was limited to half an hour's internet time (after 6.00pm only of course!).

As I gave up my macbook for Lent last year, I had an idea of how it was going to be this year, but I forgot how quiet it is! I rely on my iMac for music, audiobooks and the radio, or putting a dvd on in the background while I'm working. I've been listening to CD's on my old CD/Cassette player quite a bit! I've been spending my time knitting, baking, making, writing and cooking. It's nice to be able to look back at the day and see actual things that I've made, rather than just files I've created, or things I've posted on twitter! A♥

images are of this week's knitting projects, learning a new stitch, and finishing up a sock.

DIY: Sparkly jam jar tea light holders

2012-02-26T13:00:00.000Z

Super-cute, super simple sparkly tea light votives, these look great on window sills and would make sweet little gifts for Mother's Day.

You Will Need:
Beads - transparent seed beads work best. I've also used some little silver star sequins too.
Strong glue - Bostik All Purpose is my go-to glue - strong, sticky, dries clear and quick.
Jam Jars.
Self adhesive ribbon - you could use double sided tape and normal ribbon instead.
You'll also need a pair of scissors to cut the ribbon to the correct length, and it helps to have a tray / sheet of paper, so you don't beads and glue everywhere!

Stick your ribbon around the top of your jam jar - just under where the lid would sit. Trim so it overlaps ever so slightly - to prevent gaps.

Stick your second piece of ribbon a centimetre or two beneath the first. The band of glass in between the ribbon will be covered with beads.

Mix your chosen beads and sequins together - you'll need quite a few to get a good coating on your jam jar.

Cover the glass band between the ribbons with glue - I did half at a time, to stop the glue going everywhere!

Roll your jam-jar in the beads!

Done! It's that simple, just add a tea light and wait for it to get dark!
Tip: hexagonal jam jars work particularly well, they refract the light gloriously!

♥ A

My Week In Pictures #08

2012-02-24T18:25:00.001Z

Working on a pretty project and gatecrashing my parents 'romantic' post-Valentine takeaway. Jamie Oliver pancakes for breakfast one day and fruit salad the next. Photographing a little DIY and cracking on with some sock-knitting. Late-nights at my desk and listening to Harry on CD. Baking flapjacks and bringing about the death of my grandma's mixing bowl. Reading books and making dinner (I spent a lot of time in the kitchen this week!) An afternoon in the sun. Finishing up a knitting project and picking out the wool for another one. A pretty good week all in all!

Lent is going well so far - am a chocolate free zone! But more importantly am being very productive during my real-world-not-virtual-world stint too. In fact, this is the first time I've turned on my computer in three days. Not really an achievement, but whatever ;)

I'm off to listen to CD's and knit and dream. I hope you've had a lovely week! I've scheduled a little DIY for Sunday, so stop by and have a peek if you fancy. A ♥

See all weeks here.

Lent: My 40 Days Of Sacrifice

2012-02-22T11:00:00.000Z

"boundless energy and intelligence in a world without electronic sedatives" - a description of William Morris from this book.

I think I should start this post by saying I'm not religious, but ever since first learning about Lent in primary school, I have given something up every year, for the 40 day period until Easter Sunday (that first year, it was fizzy drinks!). I love a challenge! In the past I've given up my straightening iron, crisps, sweets and chocolate (I did that for several years in a row), msn messenger - this was right before I sat my GCSE exams and was a pretty wise move, and last year I gave up my laptop.

Giving up my laptop was probably the one that impacted me the most, I am a slave to technology and it's not a quality that I particularly admire in myself. I still had my iPhone (which I something I would quite like to give up, but I pay a pretty hefty contract for it, so it would be kind of silly at the moment) for checking emails etc, but internet browsing on my phone is a bit of a headache to be honest, it makes my eyes go funny after a while. Yup. I'm an old lady really. But instead of spending hours on twitter/tumblr/facebook/flickr I knitted my very first hat! I can't remember what else I achieved - my memory is non-existent - but I do recall spending a lot less time alone in my bedroom, and a lot more time listening to audiobooks and the radio.

This year I'm giving up chocolate and making a distinct effort to eat healthier snacks and get my 5-a-day. I'm also going to drastically reduce my computer access to 45 minutes a day - for blogging and UCAS purposes, with a complete blanket ban on Facebook, because it's pure evil!* Hopefully by Easter I'll be a healthier, slightly thinner, more well-rounded person! Either that, or I'll have gone completely stir-crazy!
♥ A

*evil may be a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. I don't like FB, it conducts misery far too easily!

I am going to have to try harder...

2012-02-20T13:22:00.002Z

...to make my dreams a reality.

image credits: one ♥ two

In ten years time I will be 27 years young. I want to have blonde, pink and turquoise dreadlocks right down my back. I'll either live in a grungy basement / top floor flat in somewhere alternative or in a camper van, on a mattress and I'll tour the country selling artwork and clothing. I want to run a hair salon in Camden Town. I want to wake up everyday in a room that I've spent ages working on, full of fuchsia pink paint, feather boas, photos of black and white movie stars and crystals that twinkle in the sunlight. I want to be free. I want to play my music as loud as I like. I want to camp out on the beach and eat barbecue food. I want to walk around quaint little shops wearing an anklet but no shoes. I want to get a tattoo of whatever I hold dearest. Maybe I'll act in tiny backstreet theatres. Or maybe I'll just wait tables. I will live on wholemeal cheese sandwiches, chicken curry and spaghetti bolognese as these are my favourite things to eat. I'll go on the road and drive until I find somewhere that takes my fancy. I'll watch the sunset over the sea. I'll sit up late burning incense and inhaling the fumes. I'll paint your portrait on the quayside of a seaside port somewhere. I'll be one of those girls who braids coloured threads in children's hair and gets them into trouble with the teachers at school. Maybe I'll work in a piercing parlour, making the holes or designing the jewellery. I probably won't have much money. I'll listen to those free CDs of summertime classics, the ones you get in the newspapers, on a little CD player in my living room. I'll wear vintage clothes from junk shops and jumble sales, hand tailored in front of late night TV on a rickety sewing machine. Somedays I'll lie in until the afternoon, reading my favourite books over and over. Other days I'll get up at dawn, stand on the wet grass and watch the sunrise.

image credit

I wrote this nearly five years ago, in response to a Writer's Block prompt on livejournal. A lot of it still very much still relevant to the life I want to live - some things have changed , my desires to act or run a hair salon, have dissipated, but on the whole, I still want to be that barefoot girl, watching the sunset and dipping her toes in the ocean. I think my seventeen year old self would be slightly disappointed by the progress I have made towards these goals. I have a very strong desire to escape my hometown, to live in the countryside, to breathe sea air and feel free. I would love to live in a camper van and travel wherever the mood took me. I realise this is probably a very idealistic view of such a life, and maybe I wouldn't be so keen on the rainy, lonely days. But I would like to have tried, even so. I don't want to reach my forties and be full of wishes and regret. I have always said I'm going to make my dreams happen. I'm slightly alarmed that I haven't really started yet, where did those five years go anyway?! Apparently sitting around making mood boards and adding things to pinterest doesn't count?!

So if you have a camper van (or a driving license!) and you fancy this kind of lifestyle and wouldn't mind a travelling companion - I can provide inane chat, out of tune singing, a good bit of story-telling and a general artistic vibe! Haha, kidding. But any tips, send 'em my way! ;) ♥ A

Portfolio Peek: Sketchbooks pt. I

2012-02-19T18:46:00.001Z

After finally putting together my portfolio for art school - I've been working on it since September, but those five months feel like a lifetime, I thought I'd share some pictures of the sketchbooks I've included. I took these photos for my digital portfolio, special thanks here to my Mum, who was kind enough to hold them for me, whilst I photographed!

This pages are all from my Sherlock Holmes project, initial drawings and background research.

I was planning to put all the photographs together in a slideshow, with music playing and everything. But as is usually the case, I remembered that although I have invested a fortune into technology, I couldn't actually get it to do quite what I wanted, so I got cross and gave up! Happy days.

It's less than two weeks until my first university interview, and I am verging on terrified! Anyone who has bumped into me in everyday life will know that I am an appalling public speaker, word-stumbling, nerves, staring at the floor, the works. I think I might make a "Be Nice To Me I'm Very Socially Awkward" badge, but it might give them the wrong (and by wrong, I mean accurate) impression. Hmm... this is going to need some thinking! A ♥

My Week In Pictures #07

2012-02-17T16:10:00.000Z

Cute cats (look at that tongue!) and crochet blankets (disclaimer: that blanket is not my own creation, it's my mum's). Hanging out with this gorgeous face and eating bacon sandwiches after long days at work. Reading books about William Morris and writing at my desk until the early hours of the morning. Getting some serious happy-mail and testing out my new stamps. Sitting in my favourite corner of my room and browsing pinterest. Quick flower paintings I did on some pillars at work.

Pretty short post this week, I have spent most of my waking hours at work, or chained to my iMac, slaving over a wordcount. Keepin' busy, you know how it goes! I'm very much looking forward to my day off on Sunday! Hope you've had a good week. A ♥

See all weeks here.

Inspiration Fix:: Cat Stevens

2012-02-15T17:30:00.000Z

There is something absolutely enchanting about Cat Stevens. I have been listening to him a lot recently, and it's doing me wonders, I can tell you. These photos make me wish I'd grown up in a different era.
ps. aren't those outfits fabulous? Carly Simon's cardigan = perfect.

This song is one of the most beautiful love songs, don't you think? It's been the soundtrack to the evening's I've spent at my desk this week.

♥ image credits ♥
last fm pinterest

A sunny day in October

2012-02-14T11:30:00.000Z

This week is half-term for most of the school's around my way - which means I'm working long days, so I thought I'd break up the silence, by sharing some film photos I took last year :)

We had a little indian-summer last October and my mum and I ventured to Brighton to sit on the beach, go to pretty wool shops, eat fish and chips and take photos.

I only got this roll developed a couple of weeks ago - this out of focus fabric shot is my favourite. Brighton is full of colour and it's beautiful, I used to spend a lot of time wishing I lived there, but I think it's a little too crowded and busy for my liking - even if the people are friendly and the shops are amazing!

Fun. ps. you have no idea how much I'm looking forward to wearing those trousers again - roll on summer! Haha.
Happy Valentines everyone. Ax

Opinionated: A Book Rant.

2012-02-11T23:55:00.002Z

I went to the library on Thursday, in a desperate attempt to educate myself.

I am a big supporter of libraries - for those of you not in the UK, our government is planning to close a lot of our libraries in a rather foolish attempt to save money - uhh, free books? What's not to love. We're in a recession, no one has any money, university education suddenly costs an absolute fortune, so we need to be able to educate ourselves in the cheapest manner possible. Books, free ones, from the library. You have to give them back, admittedly, but they're still free.

I was complaining about the price of paperbacks in the staffroom at work the other day (£10, for a paperback? really?), in a debate about books vs. ebooks, and I was told to "just go to the library" if I didn't want to buy books. It's not that I don't want to buy books, I can't afford to buy the amount of books I read! I read a lot of books, I'm a very fast reader and although I haven't had much time recently, I get through books pretty quickly. If it takes you 3 months to read the paperback that you've spent a tenner on, well that's not so bad, but when you've finished in it in a couple of hours, well then you have to buy another one! And it spirals out of control from there. Anyway.

I go to the library, I've been going to the library ever since I can remember. I'll say again, free books! What's not to love? I didn't have that many friends as a kid, but I did read a lot of books. I can remember crying over Charlotte's Web and Goodnight Mister Tom, marvelling over What Katy Did, Little Women and The Borrowers.

My tastes have matured a little over the years (only very slightly mind you, I still love The Borrowers and Goodnight Mister Tom), and this week I was looking for classics. I've been a bit of a book rut of late, only reading crime fiction, and I wanted to read some of the books I'd never read. I was looking for something amazing, Kerouac, Wilde, you get the picture, and I was saddened to find nothing of the sort. Endless copies of Katie Price books, but I couldn't find On The Road anywhere. Nor any of the classics actually. I tried to kid myself that the townspeople, in a similar bid to better themselves, had rented them all (in the same why I try to convince myself that the reason I can only find size 8's in clothes shops is because size 14 is clearly the most popular, average size) but this is probably highly unlikely.

So this is a plea, to the people in charge of our country's libraries, don't close the libraries to save money, save money by buying less trashy books, and splurge on ones that will better our community. We don't need to encourage the youth of today to be like Katie Price. We need better role models and better books.

If you have a recommendation of something I should read in my quest to broaden my knowledge and become "well read" please don't hesitate to share.

My Week In Pictures #06

2012-02-10T12:05:00.000Z

Pretty tea lights and a fish and chip supper. Finishing artwork and walks in the snow. Organising my wool collection and painting a tree mural at work. A typical night at my desk and a trip to the library. Receiving a lovely gift from a lovely lady in the post and a lunch date with an M&S sandwich and a good book. Listening to records and drinking tea (this is a big deal, that was my first cup of tea in about 15 years - to be honest, I don't know what all the fuss is about! It's really not that great...). Baking bread - it was so tasty! And starting a new sock.

Not a bad week really, considering I've been at work for a good deal of it! I'm going to see this tonight, unless we get snowed in - hopefully not - I am so excited! Ax

See all weeks here.

The rough with the smooth: peeks into my journal

2012-02-09T20:10:00.001Z

I only seem to write my journal very late at night, or when I'm feeling particularly sad - journal therapy, I don't really know if it works, but the glitter and paper hearts are kind of pretty so...

It's been a funny week so far, I haven't had much energy and I've been at work a lot, so my evenings have been pretty drained. I've been watching sad films and trying to work out whether they're making me fall in love with life.

Music and Pictures

2012-02-06T21:01:00.000Z

Good afternoon :) I wanted to share a couple of photos from my latest ~~and hopefully last~~ portfolio project, and two of the songs I listened to repeat (sorry Mum!) whilst working on them...

I'm in full scale art-mode at the moment, trying to get everything done for my second portfolio request (it's for my first choice college so this is crazy important to me), I'm ignoring most of the requests from my friends, all starting "Amy we haven't seen you in ages..." which makes me a little bit sad, but currently art and work are my priorities - the more art I do, the more chance I have of getting into university, the more work I do, the more money I'll have to feed myself, whilst at university! I hope your week's got off to a good start! Axx

Valentine Heart Garland

2012-02-05T11:00:00.000Z

I love garlands. This simple heart garland is created in the same style as my Christmas snowflake strings, and it's perfect for using up scraps of paper, and if you're so inclined, decorating for Valentine's Day.

To make a garland you will need:
A heart punch - I picked mine up for a £1 - it cuts hearts that are about 1.5cm in size.
Double sided tape or glue dots (you could also use pritt-stick if you don't mind the extra hassle).
Sewing thread
Scissors.
and the fun part - Scrap paper.

I hoard paper - leftover bits from scrapbook layouts, tickets to films and plays, pretty chocolate wrappers, the cardboard holders that come with coffee cups, you name it, I save it. I often use them up in journals, or on mixed media paintings. To make my garland I used receipts, bus tickets, paint charts, pretty packaging, photos that didn't develop properly. The world is your oyster! (Or you could just use scrapbook paper or origami paper if you're not a hoarder like me!)

Punch until your heart's content! Bear in mind that you're going to need double the amount of hearts - taped back to back - to create your garland.

Cut your thread to the length you want your garland to be, add a square of double-sided-tape or a glue dot or your preferred adhesive method, to the back of one paper heart, lay your thread down the middle, and sandwich another heart on top. Repeat until your thread is full, then hang! Mine have replaced the snowflakes above my bed and are giving the room an extra splash of colour. Ax

My Week In Pictures #05

2012-02-03T19:28:00.000Z

Listening to The Vaccines and ordering fangirl clothing on the internet. Making scrapbook layouts at work and passing by my old art school on a visit to the cinema. The obligatory Amy-In-A-Restaurant photograph. Late night promarker drawing and watching my Sherlock box set. Before and after hair-dye photos. Late nights at my desk and reading these pretty books for inspiration (one) (two). Drawing a design for a mural at work and photographing a mini DIY to share on Sunday.

It has been a week of artwork and of general work. And also, of new brown hair - in a vague attempt at being sensible and grown up (an attempt that was scoffed at by all my work colleagues!).

See all weeks here.

2012-02-02T22:33:00.000Z

This week has been a creative roller coaster with long hours at work and my second portfolio request - you know that sense of urgency that sends you into productive overdrive? Well I have that! It's probably for the best, I spent a couple of evenings idling and it didn't do me any good at all!

I'm working on one last project for my portfolio, something I'm colloquially referring to as Project Paragraph, a simple illustration project for the first paragraph of a book* I'm writing. I've spent the majority of the week at work, which means the nights here are long and cold, and I'm spending a great deal of them at my desk, pen in hand! Not that I'm complaining, I love it.

Although I've been feeling a little bit creatively frustrated this week, which is down to the never-ending self initiated projects, more than anything. I'm finding myself pining for a design brief! Still, I've been staying inspired by reading pretty books and browsing pinterest.

On the subject of inspiration, I strongly urge you, if you're a creative type, or have a little bit of romance in your soul, to give the trailer for Like Crazy a watch, it's truly beautiful.

I went to see it yesterday, after struggling to find a cinema that it was playing at and although I'm really glad I saw it, in my opinion, the trailer is more poignant than the movie itself. The best thing about the film (apart from Felicity Jones's outfits and general beauty), is the fabulous camera angles and the fact that a great deal of it is shot in Britain. My favourite scene (featured briefly in the trailer) is the birds eye view of the couple, Anna and Jacob, sleeping. Single frames of them in bed, over a two month period. I hope I'm not the only one that gets excited about this, but it sparked off something in my little art-addled brain. A little part of me has always wanted to try film-making and there's something up close and intimate about this film, that makes me want to pick up a camera and try. Maybe over the summer.

In the meantime, I'm off to ~~inhale more marker fumes~~ do some more drawing. I'll be back tomorrow with My Week In Pictures! Ax

*book here meaning, zero draft, finishing it has been on the to-do list for about eighteen months, but you know how it goes.

Keep Calm and Carry On (crafting)

2012-02-01T00:32:00.002Z

I just thought I'd share this...

...it's a little paper-cut stencil I made at work, to put some lettering on a scrapbook layout I was working on. Slogan courtesy of my lovely friend and colleague, Alex. It suits today's (yesterday's?) mood, as another portfolio request has made me realise that I still have quite a lot of work to do!

Regular blogging will resume shortly, I'm off to take my own advice and keep ~~crafting~~ drawing! Ax

Inspirations, Role Models (and glitter)

2012-01-29T13:00:00.000Z

The wonderful Rookie Magazine was asking readers to submit photos of shrines they'd made, so I thought I'd send in some photos of my Hero Crush Wall (see this post for an explanation of Hero Crushes) in all it's gemstone-adorned, fake flower glory. Then it occurred to me that I should probably share them here, seeing as all the women featured are pretty big inspirations to me.

JK Rowling. If you don't know who she is, well, just where have you been?! A woman who needs no explanation nor justification for her inclusion on the wall.
Evanna Lynch, who has a whole hero-crush post dedicated to her, here.
Imelda May, this lady is seriously stylish and one of my favourite singers, her song Kentish Town Waltz blows me away every time I hear it.
Florence Welch, I like her songs and her hair. Yes, this is totally a valid reason for her being on my wall.

Helena Bonham Carter. I can't really explain my love for Helena, but she is amazing.
Caitlin Moran, journalist, feminist, writer of How To Be A Woman. Her frank openness is pretty inspirational to someone who spends a lot of time looking at the floor, like I do.
Louise Brealey, journalist, feminist (see a pattern here?!) there's a fabulous interview with Louise here that sparked off a twitter-war about the pros and cons of waxing. She also's in one of my all-time favourite tv shows, a win all round.

Tavi Gevinson, blogger, feminist, editor-in-chief of Rookie Magazine, I'm not going to go on about how young she is, because that's all everyone seems to focus on,

So there you have it - and don't judge me please! I don't watch reality telly or read trashy celebrity magazines, but I do cut and stick pictures of fabulous and talented and beautiful and intelligent people on my wall. Then I cover them in rainbow gems, kiddie stickers and fake flowers. I am at heart, still a thirteen year old ;) Axx

My Week In Pictures #04

2012-01-27T16:01:00.000Z

Driving home the long way round so we don't miss a note of Electric Light Orchestra. Listening to my Dad's stories over the dinner table (seriously, he's one of the most interesting people I've ever met and listening to things he did in his youth is the perfect way to spend an evening). Working on a project for my portfolio and finishing up a painting. Going to London to see some lovely exhibitions and stopping for lunch with Mum. Deciding it'd be a good idea to dye my hair at midnight (it wasn't) and showing off the pretty red in an out of focus moment. Late night scrapbooking and making biscuits. Going for a walk and seeing a sign of Spring.

See all weeks here.

Wishes and Wisdom

2012-01-24T22:58:00.004Z

In my opinion, there are two types of inspiration, there's tiny spark of an idea related to a specific project. Then there's the huge rush of overwhelming emotion - the kind where you need to create something, anything. Sometime's the best things can come out of these moments. They're often triggered by a certain song, or a movie trailer, or a music video or a photograph. In that moment, I'm not just a girl living in a semi-detached house in a grubby corner of the south-east, I am an artist, I'm a write, a poet, a dreamer, an explorer, an adventurer. I am strong, unafraid and the world is my oyster.

I'm starting to feel trapped in the town I've always lived in, doing the things I've always done. I'm scared that I'm wasting the best years of my life. I want to run away into the sunset and go on adventure.

Who's with me?

Work Talk: Papercraft Demonstration

2012-01-22T11:50:00.001Z

Working in a craft store and being the resident-creative-type means I get to do a lot of display work and demonstrations. This weekend we had a paper craft demo, sponsored by do crafts, and I was set the task of making things from the January/February issue of Creativity magazine.

Can I just say how much I'm in love with their Portobello Road range? A lot. I bought some stamps earlier in the month, and after yesterdays demo, I'm definitely going to be buying the 12x12 paper pack.

All the bunting was all hand-diecut in store by myself, inspired by Creativity magazine. It's a dream job of mine to work on the design team for a craft company / magazine. One day, hopefully :)

I also made this easel card, using the same product range. It was a pretty fun day at work yesterday, needless to say! I think I have the best retail-based job around! Axx

My Week In Pictures #03

2012-01-20T21:14:00.003Z

Walks at sundown and eating out after work. Hanging my pretty new lacy curtains and watching the light filter through them. New watercolour pencils and drawing pretty text. Christmas lights round vintage suitcases and lying in bed, brainstorming in sketchbooks. My Mum modelling her Christmas present socks, knitted by me. Me modelling my Christmas present cardigan, knitted by Mum. (this is the best cardigan ever, my mum is a superior knitter!!) Drawing lonely houses and gathering inspiration from pretty books. Posting my sketchbook project. Meal and a movie date!

See previous weeks here.

This week has mainly been about art and work, things are starting to come together in my brain! Tomorrow I'm doing a card making, scrapbooking and paper craft demonstration at work... Should be fun, but I'm a tiny bit nervous! Haha. Have a lovely weekend everyone! Axx

2012-01-18T00:06:00.000Z

I'm working on some illustrations based on The Woman In Black, a book by Susan Hill. In case you didn't know, the book is the basis for the play of the same name, which I have seen many times, and am still terrified by (mainly because I'm really jumpy and scare easily!)*

This is the first time I've read the book and although not as scary as the play, it was still thoroughly enjoyable.

I'm currently hard at work on my art school portfolio, now that my ucas application is all done and dusted, and I'm trying to update Into The Treasure Box, my online reflective-journal, more often, for documentation purposes, so if you fancy having a peek at my thoughts/inspiration, feel free to have a look! I'm going to try and add drawings or work-in-progress photos most days.

*I'm getting quite excited for the film, which from the trailer, has vast differences, but I shall save my nit-picking until I've seen the whole thing! ;)

Rengade Film Fun!

2012-01-16T23:20:00.002Z

A few film photos from Renegade Craft Fair London, back in October.

This lady is one of my favourites.

And her booth was so pretty!

Goodness, I love film :) I hope your week's got off to a good start! Mine has consisted of drawing, work, and dreaming up conspiracy theories for Sherlock... haha, the perils of being a Sherlock Holmes nerd ;) Axx

My Week In Pictures #02

2012-01-13T17:06:00.000Z

This week::

Hot chocolate in my favourite mug and reading Lionheart magazine in bed. Drawing Bob Dylan and the cat being cute. Cutting myself a new fringe and taking silly mirror self portraits. Watching Hallows pt.2 for the first time since last summer and working on my portfolio. Venturing outside. Eating biscuits with the Boy Wonder and starting a new knitting project. Cooking dinner for the family and buying new books.
ps. yes I know, I need to stop using my this lens for all my photos, but I can't help it, it's fabulous for the January light conditions and I love close ups.
See previous weeks here.

Film-Fun-Fisheyes

2012-01-11T22:51:00.001Z

Towards the end of last summer I thought it'd be fun to screw my fish-eye lens adaptor to my film SLR. These were shot with expired film, and goodness me, it was love at first sight! I am definitely going to be taking more film fish-eye photos.
This picture kills me, it's just too cute for words. It might be my favourite photo I've taken on film.

Looking at these makes me realise that maybe summer's not such a bad season after all! haha :)

2012-01-10T13:36:00.000Z

It's not quite two weeks into January yet, and I've come down from my New-Year-New-Start high, with a bit of a bump. I've realised, as I do every year, that just because it's a New Year, does not mean I am suddenly a New Person, and that all last year's imperfections are magically fixed on January 1st (but how amazing would that be, though?!), I haven't actually started my New Year's diet yet and am feeling a bit chubby and rundown, I know that improvements have to come from within and whatnot, but I am feeling faintly trapped, both in my body and my hometown and at the moment. I'm hoping that this year is going to bring on a change of some sort, but as yet, I'm not sure how to go about helping it along. It's not all bad though, I've cut myself a harsh new fringe and my hair is currently a rather pleasant shade of orange, so things are not as bad as they might be. I'm looking forward to some time out from Actual Life at the end of the week, to go on some fun dates with the Boy Wonder and maybe make plans for the rest of two-thousand-and-twelve.

How is the New Year treating you? I can't be the only one with January blues! Axx

Drawing till my hands fall off...

2012-01-08T16:44:00.000Z

Workin' hard on my portfolio, here are some drawings of Bob Dylan that I did last night...

This week is going to be a busy one, what with work, the UCAS deadline (eek) and the Boy Wonder visiting, but - as I say often - it's better to be busy than to be bored! Happy Sunday everyone! Ax

My Week In Pictures #01

2012-01-06T14:02:00.000Z

A new weekly feature, to inspire me to take more every-day photos :)

Rainy days, a mix tape I made for the Boy Wonder, knitting, adding extra red streaks to my hair, scrap booking, knitted triangles, art journalling, morning skies, playing with die cutting, pages from my journal, pretty art books, lunch with a lovely lady, a new face for the Hero Crush wall, drawing text and late nights at my desk.

Knitting Adventures - Giving handmade

2012-01-03T13:04:00.003Z

Now it's January, it's safe to share some of the things I made for people this Christmas (or last Christmas?)... I thought it'd be a good idea to knit everyone something, and I started off being really organised - I made the first pair of socks back in August, while I was cat-sitting for my friend, and watching the London Riots on the telly.

Unfortunately it went downhill rather fast, as work and life started to get in the way. I can knit a sock in a day, if that's all I do that day, but it's rare to find empty days perfect for knitting when you're working night shifts, or applying to art school or just living life! It took a long time, and I was knitting right up until December 22nd, but I finished them! These are photos of socks I knitted, all with pretty, variegated yarns...

In total, I knitted:

- four pairs of socks

- a pair of Christmas stockings

- two scarves

- two pairs of mittens

- and a hat.

It doesn't sound like a lot when it's written down, but it certainly felt like a lot at the time!

I'm pretty proud of them, and I think they were well received, but I don't think I'll be doing it again this year! I'm looking forward to knitting some things for myself now! Haha :)

Sketchbook Project 2012

2012-01-02T09:30:00.000Z

It's finally finished! My sketchbook for the 2012 Sketchbook Project is complete. I photographed it for my art school application, seeing as the original book needs to be sent away, here are some of the photos I took...

The theme I chose was The Last Of The People I Know. I chose to focus my project on my grandmother, my mum's mum, who died before I was born, so all the background information for the project came from my mum's anecdotes, wedding photos, and some love letters that my grandma wrote my granddad before they were married.

A drawing of my Granddad William, on a seaside holiday to Southend.

The letters my gran wrote make me cry! They're so romantic. It makes me a little bit sad to think that gestures like that are dying out - text messages are not the same! You can't keep them in a trunk for years and years for your granddaughter to stumble across.

It has been pointed out to me by several people that I have inherited the Green family nose - let's just say there was quite a lot of it to inherit ;)

My mum told me a story of how her dad used to take her to get the Christmas turkey on Christmas Eve, when they were 'going cheap down the market', and spend the rest of the afternoon in the pub, with my Mum sitting on the kerb outside, eating crisps.

A little drawing of my William and Peggy on their wedding day!

My grandma's engagement ring is something I covet!

Ink on scans of her love letters.

My mum used to run after her, because she was worried she'd leave them forever. This story is another that makes me cry...

I feel like I've learned a little more about my family since completing this project, and I know it probably sounds silly, but I almost feel close to my grandma, even though I never actually got to meet her. I suppose that's what I get for reading her love letters!

I'm going to pop this in the post this week, which is pretty exciting! I start so many sketchbooks and never finish them, so I'm pleased I managed to get my act together for this one! Did you take part in The Sketchbook Project 2012? If so, leave a link in the comments so I can take a peek :)

Excited For A New Year

2012-01-01T16:20:00.003Z

someone got a bit carried away with her new catnip mouse on New Years Eve...

This year is for later evenings and louder music and drawing more. I am going to try harder to embrace change with open arms and panic a little bit less. I shall wear more paper crowns and style my hair more often. I want to go camping in the summer and I'm going to apply to university. I want to make my own clothes and knit my own jumpers. I want to be a better granddaughter and a better penal. I want to spend less time online and more time living life. I am going to take more photos and continue my love affair with film. This year will be full of tea lights and wild flowers and home baking and country music. I am going to say yes more. I want to finish more projects than I abandon. I want to go to music festivals and stand in fields not wearing shoes. I want to spend wet afternoons making things my friends. I'll scrapbook more and make mix CDs. I still want to learn to Charleston and go to the roller disco, so maybe I'll do that this year too. I'd like to eat a few less cakes, but more importantly, I want to smile when I see myself in the mirror. I want to have hair-dye adventures and tie-dye adventures and learn to crochet. I'd like to learn to drive and get a car with a bicycle rack. I want to grow vegetables and spend less pennies on frivolities. I want to sell things at car boot sales. I want to visit friends I haven't seen in far too long. I want to buy a record player and stay up drawing and listening to vinyl. I'd like to adopt a pet rabbit and keep it in my bedroom. I'd like to got to Scotland and Cornwall and the Lake District but one out of the three would be enough for me. I want to love more and cry less. I am going to be proactive and productive. I'm going to sleep less and do more. 2012 is my year.

2011 Recap...

2011-12-31T21:16:00.001Z

Two Thousand and Eleven
Film photos. Turning 21. Deathly Hallows Premiere. Spain. Craft days with good friends. Knitting. Working. Music Festivals. The Killers. All-nighter movie marathons. Trips to the beach. Paper crowns. Hair dye adventures. Christmas with good friends.

Happy New Years Eve everyone! I'm spending it in front of the fire, eating takeaway curry and leftover Christmas chocolates. Lots of love, Axx

Bits + Pieces: Christmas Day

2011-12-27T11:53:00.000Z

[warning: image heavy] I got a little snap-happy!

My gran, looking like the happiest little lady in the world!

Family photos.

Pretty kitty.

Pudding-in-the-making.

Champagne, for everyone except me! (I had apple juice!)

Jane, our Christmas VIP, showing off her new camera :)

The dorkiest girl in the world with the prettiest book in the land!

Smiley dad :)

Robert (christmas VIP no. 2), Me, Mother and Father.

Toasting by the fire!

Favourite.

The Boy Wonder popped in for a flying visit, I get this "Really, Amy?" look from him, a lot.

He's got his new Christmas jumper on!

We rounded the evening off with the best game ever, and so much laughter.

This Christmas was a good one.

25 Days Of Christmas:: Days 24 + 25

2011-12-25T08:12:00.000Z

Friends. Wings. Halo. Laughter. Takeaway. Christmas films. Nail polish. Running-out-of-places-to-sit. Presents under the tree. Unexpected visits.

Yesterday I was too busy working open-till-close, then arriving home and getting generally caught up in the fact there was more than three people in our house to blog. It was the first time I've sat down and not done anything, not even knitting, for a long time, and it was wonderful.

Today we'll be over indulging and visiting relatives, playing boardgames with rubbish Christmas telly on in the background. Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a lovely day, however you're spending it.

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 23 :: Getting there!

2011-12-23T19:19:00.002Z

Today I have baked about 50 pies, wrapped the last gifts, written the last card, put the finishing touches to the crackers, completed my 'costume' for work tomorrow and eaten over half of a tube of Pringles (hey, it's Christmas)! Our Christmas guest of honour has arrived, and things are pretty much all ready to go. I still have a couple of last minute things I want to do, when I get home from work tomorrow night, but I think it's all going to get finished! Which is always a relief! I'm going out for dinner with a friend tonight, then home to bed for my super early morning tomorrow! Ax

ps. have you heard the wonderful cover of Blue Christmas by Katie of Skunkboy Creatures? If not, you should have a listen, because it's fabulous.

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 22 :: An evening with friends

2011-12-22T23:26:00.000Z

I haven't had much of a chance to use my camera over the last few days, and I didn't realise how much I missed it, until I picked it up again today! Tonight my family and I stopped by some friends to deliver Christmas wishes and gifts.

Spy that card? An extra special cross stitch cat card, that I was pretty pleased with! That's my first ever cross stitch right there - I was labouring under the impression that cross stitching was a lot more difficult than it actually is! It's just stitching crosses, in the right places! ~~Roll your eyes if you must.~~ The card I received in return was far more superior - it's got a handmade Johnny-Depp-jigsaw in it! Haha. :)

Evidence of my wrapping skills (the ideas are there, the wrapping itself leaves a lot to be desired!)

An improvised nativity and a handmade (not by me) raffia manger.

In other news, I've been working on my costume for work on Christmas Eve, and it's coming along fabulously (though I can't help laughing every time I get near a mirror!) Will share photos on Saturday, probably! Tomorrow I have a lot of mince pies to bake, and a couple of other things I'd like to do, depending on what time I crawl out of bed... Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 21 :: A Day Off

2011-12-21T23:00:00.000Z

photo credit: Miss Sarah Dickson.

Knitting. Laughing. Cute cats. Big jumpers. Harry Potter. Penguins. Chocolates. Drawing. Cards. Presents. Chats. Christmas. Friends.

In other news, I have finally finished knitting my last gift! I can almost relax now - the end is in sight! Haha. Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 20 :: Dress Up

2011-12-20T14:15:00.000Z

I wanted to share this photo of me from... lots of years ago! I'm the angel by the way, that's my pal Robert dressed as a lamb! Can you spy me desperately clinging on to his hand, that's because I was terrified of people dressed up! (and nothing to do with the fact we were going to married! But I won't go into that here!) All credit for my costume goes to my mother, who was handy with the tin foil - we used to have a tin foil star on top of our tree too... Haha.

I'm supposed to be concocting a festive outfit to wear at work this weekend - but there just isn't room for that on the To Do List! Anything non-essential has just got to go, which is a shame really as I like dressing up as much as the next person! (speaking of which, my Halloween Crown was featured on Rookie Magazine yesterday)

If you've got any super quick - super cheap costume ideas, send 'em my way! Or maybe I should just recreate my tinfoil angel wings!?

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 19 :: Checking in

2011-12-19T22:58:00.002Z

I watched Love Actually whilst frantically making Christmas cards the other night (yay! A Christmas movie! At last!) and it was as fabulous as ever.

I'm looking forward to a day of rest, a day where I can do as little as possible and not feel bad about it. A day where I don't have to think "I should be baking/knitting/sewing/making cards/blogging/drawing/doing ucas" and feeling guilty about it.
On that note, I'm off to continue checking things off the to-do list! Ax

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 18 :: This time next week...

2011-12-18T19:42:00.003Z

There is a week to go, which should mean relaxing, drinking mulled wine and eating mince pies, right? Well if there's anyone out there doing so, please send hints and tips my way! I am a surprisingly organised person - I started working on things for Christmas back in August, but does that mean I'm not still frantically knitting one last gift? No, it does not. My to-do list is just getting longer - I've had to start delegating tasks! This is a big deal for me, I am a control freak ;)

A Christmas To-Do List::

- Finish the cards.

- Deliver cards.

- Wrap gifts.

- Make gift tags.

- Ditto Christmas crackers.

- Finish knitting one last present.

- Ice the cake.
- Make more mince pies.
- Make an extra special card.
- Buy some last minute gifts.
- Distribute gifts.
- Work some open-till-close shifts at work...

These photos are from a little adventure my mum and I had, in town the other day, which basically involved her taking a photo of me, in front of every Christmas tree we saw! (there wasn't actually that many about! Sadface!)

Here's to a productive week! Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 17 :: Christmas Lights

2011-12-17T10:30:00.000Z

Yesterday I ventured into town to see the Christmas lights - something I try to do every year - and every year, they're always a little disappointing! But it's still fun :) Luckily we got to Oxford Street before their huge power cut!

Trafalgar Square Christmas tree! :)

All these image based posts mean one thing - I've been doing a lot of last minute Christmassy things, and a lot of artwork for my university application! I'm trying to take it easy (which isn't really working!) Haha. Ax

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 16 :: The First Snow Of Winter*

2011-12-16T09:43:00.000Z

It's snowing here in South London town! Granted, its nowhere near as much as we tend to get (yet...)

When I was younger, we never really had any 'proper' snow. My parents would regale me with stories of snow storms past and I'd think longingly of no school and sledging and snowmen. But a few years ago, we had about a foot of snow over night, and the whole of London and the South East just shut down. It was crazy, I'd never seen so much snow in my life - for the first time in my living memory, all the schools closed, the airports closed, the buses stopped running, the shops ran out of bread and milk, it took three times as long to walk anywhere... but it was fabulous! And we've had a heavy snowfall at some point every winter, since then.

It's been snowing steadily, but not really settling, all morning... I haven't established my professional opinion - everyone turns in to a weather expert when it snows, right?! - yet, but I have a feeling that if these heavy flakes keep falling, it'd be unwise to go into central London this evening, if I ever want to get home again! But it is making me feel rather festive, which is always good! :) Ax
*The First Snow of Winter was a made-for-tv-movie about a cute cartoon duck that got left behind in migration season, and had to survive on his own through the winter. Does anyone else remember this!? It was on telly when I was about eight. Happy memories.

25 Days of Christmas:: Day 15 :: Bauble Wreath DIY

2011-12-15T13:00:00.000Z

::Bauble Wreath::
This is my third Christmas wreath design and it's bold simplicity and bright colours have earned it a place on my front door this Christmas!

To make this wreath you will need:
A selection of baubles in mixed sizes and colours.
A wire wreath frame (or you can make your own frame out of garden wire, like I did).
Thin wire (for securing the baubles to the wreath).
Wire cutters.

You will also need a hot glue gun.

First step, cut the thread of your baubles, and instead, thread thin wire through the top of your bauble.

Wrap the ends of your wire around the wreath frame / hoop. I found that wrapping excess wire around the bauble fixture helped hold it in place.

Group them together, it's easiest to use bigger baubles first, then fill in the gaps with smaller ones. When your frame is pretty much full, start to hot-glue the baubles together where they touch - careful not to use too much glue, you don't want to be able to see the glue.
Note: you don't have to hot glue the baubles, but I found that without the glue, the wreath wasn't stable enough.

Thread some ribbon around the frame at the back of the wreath, and hang on your door for Christmas!
In case you missed them, here's my Snowflake Wreath and my Pom Pom Wreath. There's no excuse to be wreath-less this Christmas! ;) Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 14 :: Festive Photo Frenzy

2011-12-14T11:00:00.000Z

Here's my second instalment of my Festive photographs - in case you missed last week's post, I'm taking part in a Festive Photo Frenzy, and taking a Christmas themed photograph, every day until Christmas!See the first seven here.
It's been a pretty festive week, with a minor Christmas based meltdown in the middle, but a little stress over the holiday season is only to be expected, right?! Haha.

Day eight:
Christmas lights in town.

Day nine:
This was a sign of how the day was to progress... sigh!

Day ten:
My first Christmas card arrived!

Day eleven:
Holly-hunting.

Day twelve:
Making Christmas crackers...

Day thirteen:
Lights at the front of our house :)

I haven't actually taken today's photograph yet, but I'll add it on to next week's post!
Hope you're having a good week! I'm visiting my last university open day today, which is bringing on a whole other level of panic! haha. Happy Wednesday everyone! Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 13 :: Christmas Inspiration

2011-12-12T13:43:00.000Z

Today I wanted to share some fabulous tutorials for Christmas decorations and gifts, as well as general Christmas inspiration, that I've stumbled across recently.
Firstly, Martha Stewart's website is full of fabulous Christmas how-to's and ideas, these are a few of my favourites...

one. two. three. four. five. six. seven. eight. nine.
Click here to see more.

image credit - channel four
Another place to turn to for some Christmas inspiration, is Kirstie's Handmade Home and her other various other shows. I know a lot of people have mixed opinions of Kirstie Allsopp, I really like her, although she is probably one of the most middle class people on television, her shows are good for putting on in the background while you're making Christmas cards. If you're a fellow UK resident, you can watch her shows on 4oD:
Kirstie's Handmade Britain
Kirstie and Phil's perfect Christmas
Kirstie's Homemade Christmas
I'm not sure this work's if you're international, but it might be worth having a peek on youtube :)

Ruche's Hondmade Holiday Guide

credit - Elizabeth Kartchner you should also check out Elizabeth's blog, because it's gorgeous!
This is definitely worth checking out, even if you have no intention of making anything this Christmas, because the whole thing is put together beautifully.

one. two
Better Homes and Gardens' Holiday Christmas Crafts
I hope you're feeling inspired to go and make something beautiful this Christmas! I'm not even sure the things I'm making are beautiful anymore - but as long as they're finished, that's good enough for me! Haha. Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 12 :: A Little Christmas Panic

2011-12-12T12:30:00.000Z

I haven't had a chance to post much about actual life, since December started, so as well as some little snaps of my Christmas tree, here's a little bit of behind-the-scenes nonsense...

It was pointed out to me by a friend and keen observer, that I am trying to do too much. I was writing a to-do list at the time, probably with a very panicky expression on my face! There is less than two weeks to go until The Big Day and I (like so many people) have so much to do. Ice the cake, finish making presents, make cards for everyone I've ever met etc etc. It's the sort of list that no one could complete in a short amount of time, without even considering working, or my dreaded UCAS application. My portfolio has been put on hold and I haven't read a book in about two months (this is a big deal, reading is probably my number one hobby after arts'n'crafts) which is pretty dull. I haven't even had the chance to properly decorate the house yet, which is probably the saddest thing of all!

I absolutely love Christmas, but I have so many ideas and I am terrible at saying no. I should probably have bought all my presents from amazon.co.uk, but that feels too much like quitting to me, what's another sleepless night spent knitting anyway?!

I am trying so hard to make it extra-special, that the Christmas season is passing me by! I haven't watched a single Christmas film this year, or read any of my just-for-Christmas trashy chick lit novels... I'm having a little bit of a Christmas meltdown! Am I the only one?! Lots of you will be reading this thinking, "Uh Amy, get a grip, I run a house and bring up children, and work full-time, this is nothing!" and you're quite right!
Kudos to you, ladies (and gentlemen), you've earned my respect, good and proper!

Lots of love, a very frazzled, but still festive, Amy xx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 11 :: 2 weeks to go!

2011-12-11T16:54:00.001Z

This afternoon Mum and I ventured into the countryside to see if we could find any Holly for the Christmas pudding. It was pleasantly chilly outside, I took great delight in wearing my new yellow hat!

And look what we found:: Holly with yellow berries! This is something I have never seen before, so needless to say, I got very over excited.

...in case you can't tell, yellow's my favourite colour!

And there's mum, pretending she's not related to me ;)
Today has been a day for getting things done, I've marzipanned the Christmas cake, strung up about 50 baubles, made a handful of cards and I've spent the afternoon knitting up a storm. I've realised that today is one of my last free days up until Christmas, so I'm trying hard to make it count! I'm going to share a few peeks of the Christmas tree tomorrow - if I finish decorating it tonight! haha :) I hope you're having a lovely Sunday! Ax

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 10 :: Decoupage Christmas Bauble DIY

2011-12-10T10:30:00.000Z

From this...

...to this.

Do your Christmas decorations need a pick me up? Do last year's baubles clash with this year's colour scheme (I can't be the only with Christmas colour schemes, right?) Or have you simply over bought baubles? Yup, I'm guilty of that too! These coloured ornaments are leftover from a DIY I've been working on, but the colours, although fabulous, are completely wrong for my red-and-gold tree theme.

To create these, for want of a better word, luxury decoupage Christmas baubles, you will need the following:
- Old baubles
- PVA glue
- Something to decoupage your baubles with, I'm using pages from an old book that I picked up from a charity shop.
- An old paint brush and a dish for your glue.

Before you start, remove the hardware that's used to hang the bauble - if it's possible, my baubles are super cheapy so they come off easily. Don't worry if your's don't, just glue round them :)

If you haven't done it before, decoupage is a really simple and effective process. Tear up your chosen paper into small pieces. Tip: if your paper is quite thick, like my book pages were, or your baubles are quite small, your pieces need to be torn really tiny - or you lose the spherical shape of the bauble. Add a little bit of PVA glue to your bauble and start to glue on your bits of paper, plastering them down with more glue, this holds them in place and gives the completed bauble a shiny finish.

Repeat until the whole bauble is covered. Tip: cover one half, let it dry, and then cover the second half - it makes things a little easier. Now I've seen some very pretty book-page baubles that have been left plain, but I wanted to add a little something extra to mine, seeing as it's Christmas.

To decorate, I've used:
Gold spray paint,
Ribbon,
A strong adhesive.
and I've used a paper snowflake (they're at the heart of everything this Christmas!) as a stencil.

Blu-tack your stencil onto your bauble.

Spray paint! I just covered the stencil and the immediate area surrounding it, as I want the text to show through.

This is how it should look when the stencil is removed, don't worry if it's not perfect, perfection is overrated!

I then spray painted the bauble fixings gold to match, and reattached them (glue if necessary). Glue on a little bow, and thread some embroidery floss / ribbon through to hang, and ta da! A lovely decoration for a classic Christmas.

Mine will be hanging on the tree, as soon as it arrives tomorrow! Excited :) Ax

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 9 :: A Christmas knitting adventure

2011-12-09T10:30:00.000Z

Back in the summer, when I'd just learnt to knit socks and had too much time on my hands, I had the brain wave of making Christmas stockings for Mum and I to hang up and put little presents in.

Stockings hanging in their provisional home, not practical for several reasons a) heat from the fire and b) they are in fact being held up with selotape. They now live on the bookcase, hanging from nails and half full of gifts!

We decided it would be a good idea to hang up them up on December the first and put a present in everyday, until Christmas, so on Christmas morning, we'd both have a stocking to open. We set a £1 budget, per gift, which (besides me still frantically knitting the second stocking on November 29th) has been the most difficult thing about the idea. It's practically impossible to get a gift (one that you wouldn't just end up throwing away) for a pound. I've found myself going over budget a bit, and I still have 9 gifts to get! oops.

In terms of the knitting, they're not the best, I elongated my usual sock pattern (or they wouldn't have been big enough), and used double-knit wool, so they're a little lumpy and out of proportion, but they do the job! I am now, finally, sick of the sight of knitting socks. I have just over half a sock left before I can stop and knit something else! (preferably something for myself, but I do have two more presents to knit first!) Have you been knitting anything for Christmas? Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 8 :: Pom Pom Wreath

2011-12-08T10:00:00.000Z

This is a fun little project, that's quite simple, if a little time consuming, but looks fabulous! This year I decided it was time to replace our old and faintly outdated Christmas Wreath, so I came up with several different designs for pretty new ones. This one's probably the simplest of the lot, all you need is wool and wire (or a wire wreath frame)! I probably used about 300g of double-knit weight yarn to make my pom poms.

I used this tutorial for making my pom poms, but you can use whichever way works best for you! Once you've got enough pom poms, I used about forty for this wreath (mine are 3 fingers wide, if that makes sense) its best to have too many than not enough - you want your wreath to look full :) Then all you need to do, is tie them to a wire hoop / wreath. I left a little 'tail' of yarn when I was tying off my poms, which is perfect for attaching them to the wire with.

Tip: If you haven't got a wire wreath frame, make your own hoop out of florist/garden wire - I doubled mine up for extra strength.

I think I'm going to make another one, in really bright, vibrant colours and hang it on my bedroom wall!

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 7 :: Festive Photo Frenzy

2011-12-07T10:02:00.001Z

So my friend Nicki is having a Festive Photo Frenzy over on her blog, and as quite a festive person, I thought I'd join in and take a picture everyday till Christmas (though I am cheating a bit, by posting my photos in bulk a week at a time)... Most of these are 'behind the scenes' photos of 25 Days projects I've been working on this week:

Day one:

Baubles! A DIY I'm creating for this here blog.

Day two:

My pink Christmas tree! Decorated with lights, baubles and sunflowers. What more could you need?

Day three:

Working on a (still unfinished) DIY.

Day four:

Paperchains!

Day five:

Two of my fellow 'Hobbycrafters' at our Christmas meal.

Day six:

Snowflake garland!

Day seven:
Christmas cards! Nine down, about forty-five to go...

Well, I'm off to make more Christmas cards and try to finish up a few more Christmas gifts, I shall be back tomorrow with another fun wreath idea :) Ax
ps. if you need a little festive pick-me-up today, you should listen to The Killers' new Christmas song, it's fabulous.

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 6 :: Step by step mince pie recipe

2011-12-06T12:18:00.001Z

Christmas is a time for food (and lots of other things, but food is definitely up there!). You can't have Christmas without mince pies. Now, I don't like supermarket mince pies (too much mince, tasteless pastry), but homemade pies are my favourite. This recipe makes about 32 pies.

To make the pies, you will need:
- 450 grams of plain flour
- 100 grams of caster sugar
- 270 grams of butter
- 50 grams of ground almonds
- 2 eggs
- a 450 grams of mincemeat
- a teaspoon of mixed spice

Put your flour, sugar, mixed spice, ground almonds in a food processor (I only ever use my food processor when I'm making pastry, out of pure laziness).

Cut your butter into cubes and add it to the mixer.

Whizz into crumbs.

Add your eggs - you only need the yolks to make the pastry, leave the whites to one side.

Add a tablespoon of cold water. Whizz until your mixture reaches a doughy consistency - knead it until it looks like pastry ;)

Wrap it in cling film / pop it in a freezer bag, and put it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

To finish off your pies, (in addition to the previous ingredients) you will need:
- A rolling pin
- muffin tins
- butter paper - to grease the tins
- pasty cutters
- star cutters (optional, I wanted to have star lids to my pies)
- pastry brush
- teaspoons

Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 6 and grease your tins. Flour your work surface and roll out your pastry (remember to leave some for lids).

Cut out your pie bases.

Add a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat to each. Using your leftover eggwhites, egg-wash the pies so that the lids stick.

Cut out your lids, I egg wash the back of these too, before sticking them on. Pop them in the oven for about 13 minutes.

Voila, mince pies! Ultra tasty :) Try adding orange zest instead of mixed spice to your pastry, or if you don't like mince pies, use jam and make jam tarts instead! (I may or may not have used some leftover pastry to make jam tarts... mmmm). Enjoy! Ax

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 5 :: Snowflake Garland DIY

2011-12-05T14:00:00.000Z

Waiting for a white Christmas? Yep me too. Apparently bits of the UK have snow at the moment, but there's a distinct lack of it here! The last couple of years we've had a lot of snow in my little bit of South London, but we haven't had a proper white Christmas, so instead I've resorted to a handmade snowstorm! I've made these garlands for the past few years and they're perfect for hanging in your windows at Christmastime. There are two different ways of creating a similar effect - simple and deluxe (although the deluxe version is only slightly more complex! haha).

Simple budget garland::

These have hung in my living room window for the past three Christmases and they're super quick to make.

You will need: White cotton/sewing thread, Scissors, Self-adhesive white sticky labels (the circular kind), and white paper Hole Re-Inforcers (you can pick these up at all good stationers, I got mine from WHSmiths).

To make your garland, measure your thread to the length of your window, and stick labels down the length of cotton, one either side so you're sandwiching your thread in between the labels. Add some different sizes labels, or some hole re-enforcers to spice things up a little, then tape to your window frame! The more the merrier :) Tip: don't get too regimented with your labels, snow storms are not orderly - alternate the spaces between each 'snowflake' for each garland you make.

Deluxe garland::

I made these for the first time this year, to hang in a little 'grotto' we put together at work, and they're a fabulous way to elaborate on your simple label-garland.

You will need: Snowflake craft punch (I picked mine up from my workplace, Hobbycraft), cotton sewing thread (you could use nylon or fishing line if you want it to be super invisible), double sided tape, sheets of card (as plain or pretty as you like).

It's exactly the same principle as the previous garland, measuring your thread to your window and sandwiching your cotton between flakes.

Cut your card into strips - this way you can get the most snowflakes from your sheets.

Using your craft punch, cut lots of snowflake shapes from your card (it's the shapes you want, rather than the holes).

Add a little square of double sided tape to your snowflake, peel off the backing, stick to your cotton and finish off the sandwich with another card snowflake. Why not get punches in a variety of sizes, or use sparkly card?

These will be going on all the windows in my house this year - much to the delights of the cats, who like to play with them! Haha. I hope you're having a good start to the week, I'm off to work - we've got our work's Christmas celebration tonight, which should be fun! Christmas really is coming up fast! Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 4 :: My Favourite Christmas Films

2011-12-04T20:47:00.000Z

Day Four! Sorry it's so late in the day, I've spent a lot of the day on The Journey From Hell, and I didn't think to schedule a post... Oops! Anyway, today I want to share some of my favourite Christmas films... I'm quite militant about these, I will only watch them in December (otherwise I spend ages moping that Christmas is ages away).

Love Actually - until last Christmas this held the top spot in my heart, it never fails to make me smile, I love Kris Marshall and Bill Nighy, and Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson's storyline makes me cry. The interlocking stories are fabulous, and it's set in London, what more could you want for Christmas?

The Holiday - current favourite for the following reasons - 1, I first saw it the year before last, so the magic hasn't worn off yet. 2, Kate Winslet's cottage is my dream home, I don't care how many times I got my heart broken, if I lived there, nothing would ever make me leave! 3, As films go, it's pretty romantic, and I am, at heart (and especially at Christmas) a sap.

Father Christmas - If you haven't seen this film, you should watch it. Particularly if you're going to be surrounded by children this Christmas! Slightly cheerier than it's sister film The Snowman, Father Christmas tells the story of the year Santa needs to relax, so when Christmas is over, he goes on his travels, trying to holiday without being recognised. Will he make it back in time for next Christmas? ;) It's cute and cuddly, perfect for a winters afternoon.

Click here to look at the official site and synopsis.
Arthur Christmas - I saw this at the cinema a couple of weekends ago, with my lovely friend Nicki. We both needed cheering up and a little bit of extra festive spirit, and we made the right film choice! If you're a child, or the parent of a child, or just a big kid at heart, this is the perfect Christmas film for you. I have seen some dubious children's films over the last few years, but this was not one of them! It made me laugh rather a lot, and even Nicki, who is not as big a fan of Christmas as I am, enjoyed herself! It's got a cast of famous voices, and I particularly like Ramona Marquez's little cameo as Gwen, the girl whom Santa forgets. It's a feel-good Christmas film for all the family, if it's still showing in your local cinema, it's definitely worth a watch :)

The Greatest Store In The World - There is a large chance you won't have seen this particular favourite of mine, a made-for-tv-movie from 1999, this film tells the story of a mother and her two daughters made homeless, at Christmas. It's heartwarming and funny and in places, sad. They hideout in a department store, sleeping in Beds and Bedding, and Camping and Outdoors, in the hope no one will find out, until they can find a new home, after Christmas. This is a total childhood favourite of mine, I revert to my nine year old self every time I see it! I used to watch it over and over and wore out our old VHS copy. Last year I tracked it down on DVD on ebay, and between you and me, I'm excited to sit and watch it again! (oh, and in case like me, you are nine years old at heart, S Club 7 have a cameo!)

What's your favourite Christmas film? I am open to recommendations - five films is not enough to last me the whole holiday season! Haha :) Ax

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 3 :: I spy reindeer

2011-12-03T11:00:00.000Z

Today I wanted to share a few pictures I took of the reindeer I saw the other day! Every year, a local garden centre has reindeer visit at Christmas, and every year I miss it, someone will say "Oh, the reindeer were here the other day," and I always vow to go the next year (We all know that I'm a child about Christmas, right? Good). But this year, thanks to my lovely friend Nicki, I did get to go! And they were so cute. I'd love to see them in snowy Scotland or somewhere pretty like that! Maybe next year ;)

This little fellow was probably my favourite, he looked a bit bedraggled and spent most of the time sitting on the ground with his hooves tucked up (which is exactly what I'd be doing if I was a reindeer!)

Look! How can you resist that face? Obviously Santa's favourite.
I'm visiting the Winchester Christmas Market this weekend, which I am ridiculously excited about, for a number of different reasons, photos and general enthusiasm to follow! (Probably tomorrow, the moment I get in the front door!) Hope you're having a lovely weekend! Axx

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 2 :: Felt Stocking DIY

2011-12-02T11:30:00.000Z

These little ornaments are simple to make, look great hanging on your tree and best of all, are perfect for using up any scraps of felt you've got lying around! It's a perfect family project.

To make a stocking, you will need:

Scissors,

Felt - A piece large enough to cut two (approximately 15cmx10cm stocking shapes), and scraps in whatever colours match your theme.

Embroidery floss and a needle.

A little bit of ribbon or ricrac, to use as a hanger.

Fabric glue (optional).

1. Draw a stocking shape on the back of your piece of felt (you can use a paper template to make it a bit easier), cut two.

2. Using your felt scraps, cut shapes to decorate your stocking with. Stripes, spots or Holly leaves if you're feeling ambitious!

3. Arrange your shapes on your stocking - I've just decorated the front (because I'm ~~lazy~~ short of time), and stitch them on using embroidery floss. You can fabric glue them, but I think stitching looks prettier.

4. Cut a short length of ribbon or ricrac and stitch a little loop to the top of your stocking, so you can hang it on the tree.

5. Using blanket stitch, sew the front and back of your stocking together.

6. I've made a little 'cuff' for the top of my stocking, which is perfect for hiding the beginning/end of your blanket stitching, and the bottom of your ribbon loop. I've attached mine with fabric glue, but if you want to sew it, it's probably easiest to attach it before you sew the front and back pieces together.

7. Voila! Add a candy cane and hang up for Christmas!

Why not use sequins or buttons, for a little bit of extra Christmas sparkle?! Or make a bigger version to leave out on Christmas Eve :)
I'm very excited to be spending this weekend in Winchester with one of my favourite people and getting generally carried away with the festivities! Keep up with my over excitement on instagram (@amyflorence) :)

25 Days Of Christmas:: Day 1 :: DIY Snowflake wreath

2011-12-01T10:00:00.000Z

So, it's the first of December! Now I can continue to put my decorations up and play my Christmas music at full volume, without people rolling their eyes and saying "It's November Amy, it's too early for Christmas!" Haha. Lots of people have said that to me so far this year!

The Snowflake Wreath

The first of my wreath designs for Christmas 2011! see the first one here.

This is a really dainty wreath that's surprisingly simple to make.

You Will Need:

A polystyrene wreath - mine was 30cm in diameter.

Yarn in your choice of colour.

Dressmakers pins.

Paper snowflakes - I cut mine out using this punch, but you could die cut them, or you could cut them by hand (I found some simple instructions for that here).

Sequins (not a necessity, but they add a little bit of subtle sparkle).

First, wrap your wreath in yarn, making sure to cover the polystyrene completely.

Then bend the edges of your paper snowflakes so they have a 3-D effect.

Thread a sequin or two (or a seed bead) onto one of your pins...

... and push it through the middle of a snowflake, anchoring it to the wreath.

Repeat until the wreath is as full of flakes as you like.

Ta Da! One simple snowflake wreath! Hang it up and impress all your guests this Christmas! Ax.

(note: don't hang your wreath outside, the winter weather will spoil it!)

25 Days Of Christmas 2011

2011-11-30T14:20:00.000Z

I would like to introduce you to The 25 Days Of Christmas! This December I am getting my Christmas on and celebrating all things festive (I do this every year, but this year, it will be for all to see!). The concept behind this series of posts is a simple one, a Christmas themed post, everyday, from December 1st, to December 25th.

I love Christmas and every year I try harder to make an effort, with handmade gifts and cards, lots of baking, and a few more Christmas decorations than the previous year. This year, I wanted to do a December Daily of sorts, and share my festive adventures right here on the blog. I've got lots of fun things planned, DIYs for decorations and gifts, recipes for tasty treats, gift guides and little December diary entries full of what I get up to. Here's a little peek...

Want to spread a little festive cheer on your blog? Grab the button::

Feel free to join in with the festivities and email me photos of anything you create to amy_eg[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk!

So, check back tomorrow for the first of four wreath DIYs! Enjoy the last day of November everyone! Ax

Sketchbook Project 2012 - Peeks.

2011-11-27T22:33:00.001Z

I have so very nearly finished my Sketchbook Project 2012 sketchbook. After all this time, it will be nice to finally finish something - in case you don't know, I'm a notorious starter-of-many-finisher-of-none when it comes to projects, so I'm happy that the end is in sight! My theme is The Last Of The People I Know, and I've had some fun listening to my Mum's anecdotes while I put this book together. I haven't shared what I've been working on, purely because I'm saving it all up for when it's done, but here's a couple of peeks...

My plan is to photograph it for my portfolio, as well as sending it to the Brooklyn Art Library of course. Exciting times.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend some much-needed quality time with my journal, some tea lights (candles are calming and focussing - years of neurotic panicking has taught me some tricks) and some pretty music. Happy Sunday everyone :)

One month to go!

2011-11-25T21:15:00.001Z

This is a picture from one of several trips into town this week, I was very pleased to see that town's got it's Christmas on! I am getting almost unbearable Christmas-wise, my mother is trying (and failing, I should note) to drown out my Christmas music. She's claiming it's too early, but there's only a month to go! I made a big dent in my Christmas shopping this week - thanks to the lovely Sarah's moral support - but unfortunately, my to-do list is growing my the minute. I've made a list that would take a sensible person a fortnight, but I've given myself until Sunday night to finish everything (as I have a whole lot more to do when this first wave of things has been checked off). I am going to start rationing the amount of sleep I get... is that weird?! Possibly.
However, today has been rather productive! I've done some wrapping, some knitting, finished making another Christmas gift, and made a rather festive Christmas decoration (I'll share it as soon as the calendar flicks over, promise).
Sorry it's been rather quiet here this week, blame the aforementioned to do list, and various other things getting in the way! I'm trying to get on track for next month! Are you excited for Christmas yet?! Have you too got a massive list of things to get done? Feeling your pain! Axo.

Workin' Hard

2011-11-22T14:14:00.001Z

A few silly photobooth pictures of little projects I've been working on! Please note that aside the first one, which I took about ten minutes ago, the others are all early-hours-of-the-morning me, frankly it's a miracle that I'm still vaguely humanoid!

I've got a feeling I'm probably skiving off in that last photo and watching Lost on my laptop, but we'll pretend I'm researching something of the utmost importance!
I have been keeping very busy over the last few days, the immense amount of things I have to do, has finally dawned on me, and my nose is firm to the grindstone! Right, I've got an hour before I have to leave the house, to tick another thing off of my to-do list, have a lovely afternoon everyone :) Ax
ps. my pinecones arrived already! Isn't that amazing?! I take back everything I've ever said against Royal Mail.

Mission, Pinecones.

2011-11-21T12:42:00.001Z

Today I got up early to go foraging for pine cones for a DIY I'm planning (I'm trying hard to get the most out of my mornings, before I have to go to work later in the day). I'd been warned by several people that it's the wrong time of year for pinecones, but I refused to let that bother me!

It turns out I should've listened, because although nature was very pretty as usual, there wasn't a trace of a pinecone, even under the pine trees!

So I amused myself by taking photos of my feet, and pretty leaves.

(I had to balance my camera on a tree stump for this picture! I am at one with nature! Haha. Oh, and in case you're wondering, that's my "Where are all the pinecones!?" face!)
Would you like to hear how this story ended? Well, I came home, and bought pinecones on ebay. Tragic? Yes, but all in the name of Christmas!
ps. I'm going shopping for baubles this afternoon! Yay!

The Geese Are Getting Fat...

2011-11-20T20:30:00.001Z

Just dropping to promise that I have actually been productive, even if it doesn't seem like that in the blogosphere!

The aftermath of a fun little sewing project this evening!
There's been a distinct lack of photos here lately, which is down to several things - being at work in most of the daylight hours and spending all my spare time up to my elbows in art/craft projects. I'm aware that photos of my desk get tedious, but this is what I spend most of the time looking at!
I have spent all day (well the bits I wasn't working) brainstorming Christmas ideas and I will tell you this for free - there's going to be a lot of festivity happening here at THD as soon as December 1st rolls around! I'm trying to get organised in advance, as December's going to be busy enough as it is, what with Christmas shopping, Christmas overtime and Christmas in general! I'm so excited though, I don't want to say too much yet - Christmas is all about surprises - but I've got lots of fun things planned! I hope you've had a lovely weekend, I'm off to make more ~~mess~~ art, I'll be back with a proper post, tomorrow! Ax

A page from my journal...

2011-11-19T22:01:00.001Z

Ever have those dreams that are so perfect, that you don't want to wake up? I've been getting those a lot recently. I think in a way, they're worse than nightmarish dreams, the kind you're grateful to wake up from, because I don't want to wake up from these dreams, apart from being full of flawed-dream-logic, they're perfect, and the real world is not. (in case you can't tell, I've been journalling a lot lately, and my journal is full of these bizarre-o, nuggets of warped wisdom). I think the moral of this particular story is stop dreaming and start doing things. I intend to start doing things ~~as soon as I've finished this season of Lost~~. Ha. Slightly heavy post tonight - I've been working hard and drawing lots, and I have lots of things to say but I haven't found the words yet! Ax.
ps. how cute is that scrapbook paper? in love.

Development Drawings

2011-11-17T13:17:00.001Z

I'm feeling pretty inspired after the open day, yesterday. I spent last night working on more drawings for my portfolio - some development work and some final ink drawings. I'm presenting the development work on A2 sheets, which involves lots of re-drawing from sketchbooks. I'm enjoying the freedom to create it to my own standards and specifications, I want it to be something I'm really proud of, unlike my Fine Art portfolio, which quite frankly, was a fiasco.

I've realised just how much work I have to do! (ie. loads, even when these drawing are finished, I'll still only have 2 double pages!) But my personal statement is coming along, sentences and paragraphs and everything!
ps. there's a couple more pictures on my art-tumblr: Into The Treasure Box.

Art School Applications:: LCC Open Day

2011-11-16T17:59:00.001Z

Today I went to an open day at the London College of Communication (LCC). It's a college in the University of the Arts London (UAL), like my previous art school (Wimbledon College of Art). Now, I don't really like open days, students terrify me - they're so confident and individual, which makes me feel even more shy and awkward than I am normally! But this one wasn't really like that. I'd been to LCC once before, for a student night back when I started Foundation (it was a first and last attempt at University lifestyle! I am so not a party girl!), and it's big and white and modern. Unlike the part of London it's situated in, which, at best, can be described as 'full of character'. (Honesty moment - I applied to my previous universities primarily on their location - I wanted to be by the sea, and I wanted to get as far away from home as I could, as quickly as possible! So this is a complete U-turn for me)

I'm going to be applying for BA (Hons) Illustration and Visual Media and after listening to the subject talk, it looks like the perfect course for me. It's very ideas and development based, with messy sketchbooks and lots of experimentation, unlike some of the more graphic courses, where all the work is very polished and complete. Another good thing is the college is well known for it's typography based work, which is fabulous - I'm falling more in love with text everyday! The course director said students needed to be self motivated and have a strong work ethic, which I think applies to me... -mental note, must work harder, just in case-

We went on a student-lead tour, and the facilities are amazing! Enormous screen printing and letterpress studios, photography studios and a darkroom... Our guide said hardly anyone made use of them(?!?!) which is crazy in my opinion, if I get in, they're going to have to try to keep me away! It was so nice to be back in an art-school environment, I had both good and bad experiences at Wimbledon, but I'm longing to back in education, sorry working-adult-world, you're just not for me! It'll be nice to have the chance to do printmaking again, and to be surrounded by likeminded and inspirational arty people.

Also - fun fact about LCC, Rob Ryan and Alexander Mcqueen both studied there!

It's been a good day, I think we must have spent nearly four hours on buses though, and I'm feeling pretty tired now! I'm excited to see Camberwell College of Arts (where two of my close friends go, so it's already been highly recommended!) and Winchester School of Art, in December!

Right, I'm going to get cracking on my portfolio, while I'm still feeling inspired! And maybe my personal statement, just maybe... ;)

Journal peeks...

2011-11-14T11:06:00.001Z

After reading Kaelah's post on positivity-vs-dishonesty in the blog world, I thought I'd share a few 'honesty' peeks in to a journal I kept for about six months, last year, affectionately titled "My Year Of Making The Best Of It", back when my gap year, was year, singular.

"We are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things" - Hawking
I haven't kept a proper journal since this one, but last night I sat down with an oversized jiffy bag / bubble mailer, whatever you want to call it, and constructed a new one. Journals are perfect for storing all the things you don't want to throw away, and they're perfect for writing secrets in. The best thing about jiffy-bag-journals, is they're free and completely recycled! I write on scraps of paper, leaflets and old envelopes, and just tape/staple/sew the pages in when I'm done. I usually get pretty hung up on the aesthetics when I journal, spending ages drawing borders or fancy text, but these journals are all about the thoughts, ideas and lists. Purely functional - unlike most of the other things in my life!

2011-11-13T15:07:00.001Z

Yep, more Autumn photos. Last year I spent a lot of time out in the local woodland, but this year, I've been working a lot and time's been scarce, Autumn's nearly passed me by completely, so this afternoon I took a break from drawing and generally being inside, to properly test out my new camera.

Autumn's my favourite time of year, it's so beautiful. It's unseasonably warm here at the moment, which is weird, as Christmas adverts have started appearing on the telly, and I'm feeling festive! Some crisp cold weather would go down a treat! Yep, I talk about the weather a lot, I'm English, it's what we do!
I hope you're having a lovely Sunday - I'm going back to drawing and I'm looking forward to a roast beef dinner. Perfection.

About Me: An Introduction

2011-11-11T06:30:00.000Z

Yep, I thought it was time for a proper About Me post, to go in the little navigation bar I finally got around to sorting out (if you have tips on how to pretty it up, please send 'em my way)!

Because you should probably start an About Me with a relevant picture of yourself... home dyed hair and all!

My name is Amy, I have a double barrelled surname and a tendency to over-think things. I love autumn, Christmas and bonfire night. Books, libraries and getting letters through the post. Eating chocolate, taking photos on film and laughing with friends. Hot chocolate with marshmallows, extreme weather and trips to the beach. Grainy photographs and picnics in the countryside.

Most importantly, I love art of all kinds, and The Happy Daisy is my place for sharing projects I'm working on, pretty things that inspire me and a little bit of my life in the London suburbs. You should know that mustard yellow is my favourite colour, but my favourite things tend to go through cycles - mainly because I can't concentrate properly on more than one thing at a time (this means I listen to songs on repeat, read the same books and watch the same films, over and over for weeks on end).

I also talk about life a lot. Well, books I'm reading, people I hero-worship, art school applications, Harry Potter and things I'm excited for.

I like to grow sunflowers and I eat too much toast. I make moodboards and I take pictures of my desk. When I'm not making art, I work here. It's fun, but I'm hoping to go to university and be an art teacher someday.

Thanks for popping by! Don't be a stranger - say hello and tell me something about you! :)

Spain: A scrapbook.

2011-11-10T22:00:00.000Z

Back when I first started getting them developed, I decided I wasn't going to put my Spain photos in the album with the rest of my 35mm photographs (purely because there's not space for 60 photos and I wanted them all together), so I thought I'd scrapbook some. I've only done about twelve so far, but I'm pretty happy with how they're turning out, considering I'm a scrapbook novice.

My aim is to create a sort of coffee-table-book, that I can put in our living room, and people can flick through - a more interesting way of sharing them, than simply passing photos around.

I've still got around 30 pictures to scrapbook, but I want to take the time to do each image justice. Axx

Autumn Daze

2011-11-09T17:56:00.001Z

A few autumn iPhone pictures from last weekend's venture outside. Today I've been inside, keeping warm, drawing with ink, eating toasted Hot Cross Buns (unseasonal of me, I know, but they're so tasty!), finishing my first ever knitted mitten and watching Lost. (I've now finished season 1 part 1, and I can safely say I'm addicted. A little sad that my favourite character seems to be forever lost though!) I've even done some work on my personal statement. Everything is slowly coming together! Hope you've had a productive day! Ax

2011-11-07T22:31:00.000Z

Good evening! Before I settle down to an evening of back-to-back Lost episodes (I know, I'm practically a decade late to the party!), I thought I'd share the drawings I was working on, last week.

They're based on William Morris artwork and are development drawings for my Sherlock Holmes project. The purpose of them is to experiment with media and scale, to see which fit my idea best. I think pen and ink are my preferred media, with a mixture of a silhouette style (see above drawing) and more detailed line drawing (see below).

Excuse the really bad scan quality of these - my scanner is not up to scratch!
I do love a good experiment! I'm working on a big (well A2, so bigger than usual) development piece for my portfolio at the moment! Exciting! haha :)

Guy Fawkes

2011-11-05T23:21:00.001Z

Remember remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. We see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

Have I ever mentioned my love of bonfire night? Probably (if not, I love it. A lot more than Halloween, which I can take or leave. If you haven't heard of Guy Fawkes night, then you're missing out - or not British - or haven't seen V for Vendetta). Anyone who's anyone round my way, goes to our local fireworks display, and it's fabulous. Okay, it never starts on time, and there's always a sound problem, but the fireworks are pretty, and the bonfire's big. What more do you want from Guy Fawkes night? Haha.
In other news, I have spent all day drawing William Morris patterns and getting covered in ink. A pretty productive use of my day off! :)

I'll be back tomorrow to share a little progress on my Sherlock Holmes project.
Happy Guy Fawkes everyone! Ax

ps. my little slideshow is the product of someone (in this case, me) forgetting to put an SD card in their camera before leaving the house, and having to rely on their iPhone. What an idiot.

Bits + Pieces: A birthday post

2011-11-04T09:35:00.002Z

1. The sound of the rain.

2. Birthday princess.

3. Paper chains and...

4. Pretty garlands.

5. Perfect gift.

6. Tasty treats.

7. Cultured.

8. Birthday lunch.

9. Pretty cards.

10. Spoiled!

11. Best friends.

12. A little bit of birthday sparkle.

A pretty fabulous day, all in all.

credit: Bits + Pieces - Miss James

Lion brooch - Art Equals Happy

The Awkward Phase

2011-11-03T10:07:00.001Z

So today is my birthday! Which is pretty exciting. To celebrate, I thought I'd embarrass myself a little, and share some old/school photographs of me (yup, they are all of me, even though I like to pretend otherwise)...

I really can't explain this photo. I have no idea what on earth is happening here. I'm sure that can't be me. Unfortunately, it is me, and it is probably the reason I didn't have many friends when I was 13! ;)

This one is almost as terrible! I was never a 'plastic' (obviously) but there is at least half of boots make up counter on my face here! Jeez

Chubby and smiley. This was at the beginning of a film I got developed recently :)

Aged 5, 13, 16, 16, 18.

I toyed with the idea of just showing super cute baby photos (there's lots, I was a chubby, smiley baby), but if you can't be ridiculously embarrassed by yourself on your birthday, when can you? Most of my teenage years fall under the heading 'Awkward Phase'. I can safely say I'm glad they're over! I was not much of a party girl, I used to sit in my room and wait to stop looking so dorky.

Today I am twenty-one(!?!) and hopefully all these years of bad skin, braces and some truly terrifying hairstyles, are behind me.

Now, I'm off to celebrate! :) Axx

ps. if you're 13, and you happen to look remotely like I did, it does get better, just don't listen to the meanies!

Hello November (only a day late!)

2011-11-02T09:13:00.000Z

It's November! This month is full of birthday celebrations, dark evenings, Guy Fawkes night and Christmas preparations.

The best way to start a month? A week (or five days) off work, of course! I never used to like half term holidays when I was at school, a week off is too short, I used to think to myself, what can you do in a week? Now, however, more than one day off in a row is a serious luxury and I intend to make the most of every second! September was about work, October was about fun (though mainly about work) and November is going to be about Creativity! Photography, university open days, working on my portfolio, knitting, making Christmas gifts and decorations. I can't wait! Today is going to be magical. Amyx

ps. tomorrow is my birthday! Yay!

October: An update

2011-10-31T07:16:00.000Z

Happy Halloween everyone!
So today is the last day of the month, and time to review my October Resolutions.

Stress less at work? I don't think that was really achieved, I worked a lot this month. But I'm trying to save up for this beauty, so I suppose it's worth it. But I did do lots of art.

Lino printing being one example!

I didn't manage to take a photo of my desk everyday either, but I did take some photos of my desk, and I only have 25 left to take before I finally reach the 365 mark.
We won't talk about my personal statement, but I have started it. My portfolio is coming along, but slowly and I did finish a roll of film in my SLR, I just need to send it for developing…
It doesn't really sound like I had a productive month, but I did finish another Christmas present. 30 days just isn't enough! However I did have a little fun…

I dyed my hair red!

Picture Credit: Art Equals Happy.
And I went to Renegade Craft Fair! Which reminds me...

You should go and say Happy Birthday to Miss Kim Smith, she's twenty-one today!

So today should be my October Moodboard Monday post. Today should also be the first day of my week off work, but I haven't had a chance to make any moodboards this month, and I'm working a 9-5 shift, so things are not as they are supposed to be!

Show and tell

2011-10-29T22:10:00.000+01:00

I made these back in the summer, to give to my Mum for her birthday.
(my Dad only just got around to hanging them *tut*).

Recycled denim and felt applique.

Embroidery.

Revamped noticeboard necklace display!

I love this! If I wore necklaces, I would definitely make one for me.

I love giving handmade! I've now completed four knitted Christmas presents, which sounds impressive, but I started them in August. The reality of it is, I'm never going to be able to get them all done for Christmas. I'm tempted to stop and buy the rest/make something small, and concentrate on my art school application instead. This feels a bit like quitting, but something's gotta give! Alas, my presents are the only things I can compromise on (that and sleep, of course). Haha. Have you started your Christmas shopping/making yet? Axx

2011-10-28T08:41:00.000+01:00

If I had time I would write my personal statement. I would knit blankets for animal shelters. I would finish making my Christmas presents. I'd start making my Christmas cards. I'd work on my Spain scrapbook. I'd finish my novel. I'd have lunch with my friends. I'd write letters to my pen pals. I'd read all the books I've been lent. I'd finally finish my Wreck This Journal.I'd make birthday cards for my friends at work. I'd go to exhibitions and galleries. I'd go for walks in the autumn countryside. I'd knit myself some mittens. I'd call people I haven't seen in months. I'd make my own dresses. I'd knit Christmas stockings. I'd finish my portfolio. I'd go to the movies and out for dinner. I'd remember to take photos of my desk. I would take more photographs full stop. I'd tidy my room and organise my wardrobe. I'd take things to the charity shop and put my shoes on eBay. I'd make things to put on Etsy. I'd have a winter picnic with hot chocolate and tomato soup. I'd watch the sunset. I'd make new decorations for the Christmas tree. I'd fill up my photo albums. I'd learn to crochet. I'd probably even hoover my room.

Why is it, that on my days off, all I do is eat, sleep and do the tiniest amount of work acceptable?! What would you do, if you had a few more hours in the day?

Halloween Crown!

2011-10-26T21:08:00.003+01:00

It's true, I've wanted an excuse to make a crown for a long time (I'm often found wearing my paper creation) but I've never got around to it, until today…
It's Halloween on Monday, and we've been told we need to dress up for work this weekend (fine by me, I love dressing up!) but I was too short of time to construct an entire costume - and it needs to be functional, it gets crazy busy in store at the weekend - so I made this little fellow instead!

This creation is inspired by Tavi and Petra's crowns, over at the lovely Rookie Magazine.

See some gorgeous crown examples here. There's a tutorial too! I chose dark red and black roses for my crown, not my usual choices, but very Halloween-y. I added some cheapo plastic creatures from the pound shop (a pound! For 72 plastic spiders/skeletons/skulls/bats/creepy crawlies). I dipped them in PVA glue and glitter before sticking them on - you can never have too much sparkle, as well as feathers and strung beads.

See that shirt?! I made it myself! Felt applique love.
I was so enamoured with my crown, that I made a video of it, to show it off to it's best advantage!

yup, apparently I really do talk like that ;)
ps. I backcombed my hair for effect, it doesn't normally look so crazy, promise! :) Ax

Into The Treasure Box

2011-10-26T15:41:00.001+01:00

I've created a tumblr to document what's inspiring my art projects. It's pretty empty at the moment, but it'll grow! I love documentation. Check it out here.

I'll be back this evening to share my latest creation! hah. Ax

Wishlist: Beauties for my bookshelf

2011-10-25T10:02:00.000+01:00

I love books. Art books are my favourite (besides crime fiction and Harry Potter of course). I love to flick through them in bookshops, but I actually own very few. I think I've said this before, but one of my biggest regrets about art school was not making the most of the library. A mistake I will not be making again! Anyway, I wanted to share some of the books currently topping my amazon wishlist…

Scripts - Steven Heller and Louise Fili

In The Wilds - Nigel Peake

A Sky Full Of Kindness - Rob Ryan

The True And The Questions - Sabrina Ward Harrison

Print Workshop - Christine Schmidt

I hope I get some books for my birthday! Books = best presents. Whatever happens, I shall definitely be purchasing these beauties! Have you got any favourite art books? Share and share alike! :) Ax

Disposable Summer!

2011-10-24T09:25:00.002+01:00

I've said it before and I will say it again, sunflowers are my favourite.
I used to use disposable cameras on school trips all the time when I was in primary school, and I bought my first one in many years, over the summer (to use in Spain, but I never got around to it) and I'm really pleased with the results. I love how grainy the quality is (some people would call it 'awful' but not me, and hey, it was £3.50!).

Daisies! From an allotment open day visit :)

Pictures from a knitting picnic!

…and a stay-inside-and-knit-blankets day (we are so cool)!

Art school girls! From a get together over the summer holiday :)

And me, in our jungle of a back garden.

I'm getting behind with my films! I have a couple more to share, and about eight that need to be put into an album. Just another thing to add to the to-do list!
I hope you had a good weekend! Here's to a productive week. Ax

Sherlock Holmes: Update

2011-10-22T20:45:00.001+01:00

Pen and ink
These are some drawings from early on in my Sherlock Holmes project, all inspired by the fingerprints Holmes might have found at the scene of a crime.

paper cut

Inspired by my papercut fingerprint, I made a stencil using an empty cereal box.

It took a few attempts before I perfected it!

These images were pretty important to the early stages of my project, even though I'm not developing them further. I really need some time to sit and work on my projects, my to do list grows daily, but as I've said before, there's just not enough hours in the day! I'm hoping to share more project updates throughout the week, so keep your eyes peeled for that! Happy Saturday night everyone!

New hair!

2011-10-21T10:00:00.000+01:00

New hair! I spent 4.5hrs in the hairdressers yesterday, to get rid of the blonde (I read half a book and did some knitting, it wasn't so much of a hardship really!). Red is much more autumnal, right? Plus between you and me, the bleach was killing it :(

This one really makes me smile. I think it could be the fact you can see my paper crown, fairy lights and paper roses in the background… or maybe just my dorky expression!

Fun fun fun. This does mean I'm going to have to avoid swimming for a while, because we all know red fades like nobody's business! Maybe I'll spike my shampoo with some red dye?
Hope you have a lovely Friday! Hugs. Ax

2011-10-20T23:13:00.001+01:00

I've had two days off in a row! A midweek-weekend! Ha. Here's what I've been up to…

My Mum and I went to see my friend Sam's exhibition. He takes a mean photograph :) We also found time to do a little shopping, which was lovely.

I did some drawing - this is for Comfort - I'm not 100% sure that I'm going to end up using this one, but it was going to be a cover for a little pamphlet/zine I'm making.

I broke a scalpel! Serves me write for using super cheapo paper I guess…

I finished up a film, my first from this camera! Can't wait to see how they turn out. An October Resolution ticked off, guys! Yay. We won't talk about the others… haha.

It's been a really busy week and I don't really feel like I've achieved all that much, which is never good. I'm really struggling with my personal statement (my out-of-sight-out-of-mind approach doesn't really help either) and I'm not too sure about my portfolio progress, but hey, it'll all work out in the end, I'm sure.

I'm going to try harder to schedule posts for next week :) Axx

Spain vol. 4: Beach Snaps!

2011-10-16T09:55:00.004+01:00

I can't quite believe it's taken me until October to finish sharing my Spain Photos! Haha. I can't believer how quickly the past few months have gone… These are photos from a film I only got developed a couple of weeks ago - a pleasant surprise in the post.

I spent a lot of time on the beach, even though the weather wasn't always great. I read a lot of books and did a lot of drawing. Heaven.

Dippin' my toes! The yellow tone of all these photos makes me smile, I do love film. Along the other end of the beach to our hotel, locals would make sand sculptures. Some of them were truly amazing, dragons that really breathed fire, castles surrounded by forests, and...

This made me smile a lot. Good times.

Project of the week: Lino Printing!

2011-10-14T10:00:00.001+01:00

Hey! Today I finally got around to doing some printing. I carved out some lino a couple of weeks ago, but this is the first chance I've had to use it. It's the first time I've done lino printing since art school, and it was pretty fun. I love what a quick process it is, I have heaps of prints from a couple of hours work - what's not to like about that?!

These are for my Sherlock Holmes project, which will be going in my portfolio eventually! The design is a simplified version of some ink drawings I've been working on, based on images of Victorian Microscope Slides.

...and here's a little 'behind-the-scenes' photobooth snap, to show that there is actually a person behind all this craziness! My cat was hanging around too, wondering what I was doing with her dining room, but she went all camera shy on me before I could get a photo - sadface!

I'm really pleased with the work I've been making, although I'm a little worried that both my Sherlock project, and my Comfort project, seem to be gravitating towards pattern and text, rather than drawing. It's so hard to strike a balance between what I find comfortable and what universities want to see… If you have any tips/words of wisdom, feel free to share, it would be much appreciated!

I hope you're having a productive week! Axx

On a summer's day

2011-10-13T09:00:00.000+01:00

A few film snaps from a day in August where my friend Claire and I decided at the drop of hat, to have a little knitting picnic out in the countryside. We ate sandwiches and strawberries and worked on the knitted granny blankets we're both making. It's so nice to knit in the company of others!

A perfect summer memory. I find I can look back on Summer with much more fondness when the weather outside is lovely and cold :) haha.

Renegade Weekend Fun

2011-10-11T21:31:00.002+01:00

Last weekend saw the first ever Renegade Craft Fair here in London town! I was a booth buddy / house elf / happy helper at the Art Equals Happy booth (which was, in my slightly biased opinion, the prettiest, and definitely cosiest booth there)! I have never seen so much talent in one room (see a full list of artists here). It was lovely to see everyone's hard work, both on their wares, and their presentation.

Handspun wool that's good enough to eat!

Kim's swatch collection, on the 'living room' wall.

It was tiring - we collapsed into bed on Saturday night, convinced it was at least midnight, but it was only twenty past nine! Haha. But drinking the tastiest hot chocolate helped get my energy going again, I can tell you! All the hard work was worth it, I haven't had so much fun in a long time!

I don't have many photos from the weekend on my camera, but you can see some I took with Kim's, over on her blog :) I got a little snap happy with her pretty fixed lens!

Checking in!

2011-10-09T22:08:00.002+01:00

This is a photobooth picture from the other night, but it's pretty much exactly how I look right now! Can I count wrapping myself up in a blanket as research for my comfort project!? Haha. I've practically been living in that blanket this week - I've been knitting it since February, and now it's one square away from being done**!

Anyway! I'm just checking in to say hi, and that this weekend was fabulous. Hint: Renegade! Friends! Knitting! Laughing! Big smiles all round. I'll talk about it properly during the week, as I'm super tired tonight and (as usual) I have work tomorrow so I've gotta get that beauty sleep! I hope you're weekend was just as fun as mine :)

**done here meaning, it's acceptable to use it and all the ends are sewn in, but I'm still knitting squares for it, because it will never be quite big enough!

There's a chill in the air

2011-10-06T22:40:00.000+01:00

Can I say how much I've been loving the weather this week? Of course I can, I'm English and it's well known that all we talk about is the weather! Today has been blustery and chilly, and this evening, walking from the bus stop, was positive bitter. I'm writing this wearing a big wooly cardigan and wrapped up in my knitted blanket. Perfection.

True to my October Resolutions, I've taken a few photos with this beauty, this week. ps. how amazing is that bed linen? I've spent a lot of time drawing it for my comfort project. Bed is the ultimate comfort, right?!

You have no idea how happy I am that autumn is here! :D Axx.

ps….

What're you doing this weekend? If you're in London then you should be heading to the first ever Renegade Craft Fair, London! I'm so excited to be helping out with Kim at the Art Equals Happy Booth. If you're going, you should stop by and introduce yourself!

Comfort, a project.

2011-10-04T11:48:00.001+01:00

comfort noun: a pleasant feeling of being relaxed and free from pain,
when you feel better after being sad or worried,
when you have a pleasant life with enough money for everything you need.
[definition from Cambridge Dictionaries Online].

I am at my most comfortable when I know that I have the next day completely free from arrangement and obligation, days filled with personal projects and leggings and baggy jumpers, that's when I'm truly comfy. A hot chocolate with marshmallows in my Dairy Milk mug. Toast is good for a quick comfort fix. Getting in to fresh, slightly cold bed linen. Knowing you don't have to get up when the alarm goes off. Sunday roasts. Lying in front of the fire. Curling up under my knitted blanket and watching a DVD boxset. The repetition of knitting makes me feel comfortable. Harem trousers - I hate tight clothes, my body just isn't made for them. Knitwear. Cosy socks.

Basically, I like to dress like a scruff, eat junky foods and not talk to anyone (don't judge me! It's a hard-to-come-by, enjoyed on occasion type luxury)! I think if we're honest here, it's not that unusual! Anyway, why am I confessing my slovenly secrets? Because 'Comfort' and 'What Makes People Feel Comfortable' is something I'm looking at, in a new art project.

So, d'you want to help me? What makes you feel comfortable? What does comfort mean to you? Feel free to be anon :)

October Resolutions

2011-10-02T00:04:00.000+01:00

This October (it's October already?! How did this happen?!) I am going to work hard at art and stress less at work. I am going to take more photos and develop a roll of film from my SLR. I want to take a photo of my desk every day so I finally finish my 365. I want to get my personal statement written and my portfolio to be well on the way. I want to organise my workspace and turn it in to something I can be proud of.

I want to find the time to actually read the books I rent out from the library. I need to crack on with my Christmas presents and I want to progress to knitting fancier patterns. Most importantly I am going to have more fun. September was about work, October is going to be about fun - and work, as it's coming up to Christmas and I've been working 45hr weeks… - but mostly fun. Have you got anything you want to achieve this month?
these photos are all from my blackberrying trip last weekend, conkers loving modelled by my mum, gorgeous autumnal ferns and the BIGGEST mushroom I have ever seen, I had to stop and take a photo (or 50), it was huge!

Knitting Adventures! #03

2011-09-28T11:30:00.001+01:00

It's been a while since I shared any of my knitting adventures - this doesn't mean I haven't been knitting, on the contrary - I've been working hard on Christmas gifts, but for obvious reasons, I'm not going to be sharing those for a while!

But I couldn't resist sharing this project and seeing as it's not going to be a surprise gift…

This is my forth pair of socks! Knitted with Noro yarn, and probably my favourite pair so far. It's going to be a wrench to give these to my Mum for Christmas, I can tell you!

I think I may have to make myself a pair - they have loads of gorgeous shades to choose from and I'm a total sucker for colour! Although I have a lot more Christmas presents to knit my way through first… perhaps I'll reward myself with a couple of pairs, if I get all my gifts finished on time!

Moodboard Monday: September Edition

2011-09-26T12:00:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the September Edition of Moodboard Monday, where I share some of my inspirations from the past month. This month I've been working on two main projects - The Sketchbook Project (there's still a bit of time to register, if you're interested) and towards the end of the month, I started working on my Sherlock Holmes project, as well as a whole host of smaller crafty projects.

Words and letters have been a particular source of inspiration - library books (handy for research), letters from friends - the girls in the classy bathing suits is an image from a card my friend Holly sent me a while back), and letters my Grandma wrote to my Granddad before they were married. The latter has come in very handy with my sketchbook for The Project, which I'm basing around my grandparents and my mother's childhood.

I've renewed my love of letraset sheets/rub ons - I have a whole collection, given to me by a friend whose father was a sign writer. I've had them for years and they're a fantastic way of adding text to images.

Library books, you can find out all sorts of unexpected information from them, and they're free. Perfection!

Watercolour backgrounds: I have cracked open my watercolour paints - I love using them to create wash effects and make backgrounds for drawing - so much more interesting than plain white paper. I think this is the first time I've printed on paper I've pre-watercoloured and it's definitely something I shall be doing again!

Photos of my grandparents: I don't have very many, but their wedding photos are very special, I've been referencing them a lot as I work on sketchbook pages.

I've also used some gorgeous Noro sock yarn to blanket stitch down the side of this collage - I'm working on some fabulous socks with this wool at the moment and the colours are to die for!

This is a bit of contrast to the previous two collages and one I made later in the month, after starting work on my Sherlock project, hence the change in colour scheme and style.

Brown ink, fingerprints and my pen-and-ink-dip-pen are hugely inspiring this artwork, as well as vintage bedlinen, and the original work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of course.

Using doilies as stencils has been my biggest technique discovery I think - I've used a few different objects as stencils this month, the doily effect being my favourite! If you've used something unusual as a stencil for your artwork, I'm interested to hear all about it - drop me a comment or a link :)

Sketchbook Peek!

2011-09-25T10:00:00.001+01:00

A just-for-fun sketchbook page.

This page is inspired by something I wrote a long time ago, entitled In Ten Years Time. It was interesting to go back and read what I'd written about my future.

I used watercolours, promarker pens, my beloved brown ink cartridge-fountain-pen, white acrylic and a stencil/doily to make this page. You can never cram too much media into a project!

Have a lovely Sunday! I'm going to go blackberrying with my lovely Mum and then make lots of (hopefully) pretty art! Don't forget to check back tomorrow for my September edition of Moodboard Monday! Love Ax

nine-to-five

2011-09-24T12:00:00.000+01:00

I never want to work in an office.

This isn't really a revelation, I mean, I made that page in my Wreck This Journal last year, and being an office worker was never high on my list of ambitions to begin with. Anyway, I don't want to go into massive details, but I visited my work's Head Office this week - my first time at working in an office environment (I say working, I was painting, everyone else was doing office-y things), and it was just as I'd expected it to be. Everywhere was so grey and people just looked at spreadsheets on computers all day, typing away. Don't get me wrong, they all seemed nice, but just spending a day in a place where you can't open the windows, surrounded by looming black filing cabinets had me feeling so washed out and sleepy that I couldn't muster up any energy for drawing or knitting when I got back to my hotel room.

I love colour, I love mess, I have my windows open wide even in the middle of winter because I thrive on fresh air. I need to be able to sneeze without thinking the whole room is going to narrow their eyes at me! It's made me start working a lot harder on my art school portfolio, I can tell you that!

Do you work in an office? Do you love your job? Have I got office life totally wrong? Let me know :]