May Drawing Challenge - Day 2

well it's day 2 so here's my 'Tree' doodle for today...

obviously i'm pining for more tropical climes!


at college today my friend & desk buddy Jennie (who is also an illustrator) wanted to have a go as well so we took some time to out of our busy college day to work on the doodles...

so here's Jennie's really lovely tree drawing

 + a little bunting one to make up for missing yesterday's theme

+ here's Quinn's beautiful tree doodle for today

+ here's my friend Danni's gorgeous drawing for the day, especially loving that cute owl (for more of Danni's work check out her website doodlesbydanni)

 + here's a great 'Tree' doodle by my pal Grant (he's a Graphic Designer, check out his tumblr here)

and another 'Bunting' one for yesterday's theme

Jennie, Danni and Grant are also in the Smoo Doo Croo design collective with me + a few others

i'm glad to see so many of my creative friends getting involved with this project and taking up the doodle challenge. i can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for the rest of the month! :)

so until tomorrow, that's all folks... xX

May Drawing Challenge - Day 1

wow the 1st of May already... yikes! And a long time since i last posted on here!

it's been a crazy past few weeks, lots has happened, nothing particularity exciting of course, but then what else would you expect from my mundane life :)

in a moment i'm going to try and explain a little about why i've been so absent (beware, there's quite a lot of writing!!! you all know how much i love to ramble on and on...)

but first i'm happy to announce that this month i'm going to try and blog a little drawing every day. yes that's right, you didn't read that wrong, i said EVERY day! bearing in mind that most days i won't be posting much else other than the drawing of the day, but still, it'll be quite a challenge for me!

the drawings i'll be posting won't really be like any of my usual work, they'll be quite rough and messy (for me) probably coloured with watercolour or pencil and quickly drawn with pencil. shock horror! they're not going to be any good but i'll try not to dwell on that too much.

they will all be kind of small as well, i'll be drawing them into a little handmade notebook i bought a few summers ago, i bought it intending to draw something new in it every day for a month but have never bothered to use it until now!

so they won't be at all polished or perfect (double shock horror) but i'll be posting them regardless so be prepared for some haphazard stuff.

here's the first one...

as you can see, the theme was 'Bunting'. it's from a great drawing challenge set up by one of my creative friends, the very lovely Astrid

this is the list of themes for each day (click the image to make it bigger) and then you have to post your drawing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Molome, a Blog or Pinterest so that you can share it with the world!

in fact a few friends of mine have also had a go at the first day drawing as well!

here's Kyren's bunting picture (+ you can see more of Kyren's work on his blog)

my friend Madi (who is a brilliant illustrator!) also had a go as well, check out her pretty bunting collage picture (+ read the blog post about it on her blog)

+ a v cute drawing by my friend Quinn (check out Quinn's illustration page here)

and another glorious doodle by Danni (check out her fab site doodlesbydanni)

 and here's Astrid's gorgeous drawing as well...

you can find out more about the 'May Draw A Day' project here on Astrid's blog

and in case you're wondering why i've decided to have a go at this challenge, it's because at the end of this month i'll celebrate my 21st Birthday and i thought since i've always wanted to have a go at one of these drawing-a-day projects it would be nice to try and accomplish it while i'm still 20!

* * *

right, now it's explanation time. sort of anyway...

regular visitors to this blog will know that in recent months my post count has dropped significantly.


last summer i was running out at least 4 or 5 posts a week but since then it's like i've lost the inclination to generate posts at all. Even the last few that i've put up have been a struggle to write and create.

i always offer the same excuses (college work, commissions or illness) but the truth is, that even with this workload i would still find the time to blog if only i could be bothered!

i'm not completely sure what's happened really, since last year, around November time, i've been on a downward spiral, sort of like a roller coaster or a game of snakes and ladders. Sometimes it loops upwards shooting me up through the clouds but then it'll hurtle down again, disappearing into doom and gloom and then i won't be able to climb back up for a while.

it's affected me pretty negatively in general i guess. my tension headaches have come back with a vengeance, i'm almost constantly disillusioned with my college work and studies and my already lacklustre social life has become virtually nonexistent. so fear not faithful readers, it's not just my blogging abilities that have suffered.

it's a real shame as well since used to love blogging so much, it was a little escape for me, something to look forward to after a day at college or a trip out with friends or family, but now i can't find the energy or the proclivity to run regular posts. often enough i'll find myself with some time to spare and i might think 'ooh i could do a blog' but then i just sit there staring at the empty text box wondering what to write. so i shut it down and give up again.

 i'm on the final stretch now of my HND course at college, i have an absolute load of work to get done before then + work to prepare for about 3 exhibitions before the end of June! i've also made the decision to temporarily stop accepting new commissions (yes... that's how much college work i have to do!) until some time in June when i'll finish the course and be free until September.

if i've got all this work to do you might be wondering why on earth i've chosen NOW of all times to do a drawing challenge but it's ok, i want to do the challenge and believe it or not but i can actually count it towards my drawing units for college! (yaaay) 

so that's it i guess, i'm not sure what else to add other than i'm sorry for having vanished so much since last year + that i hope you enjoy my little doodle drawings every day this month. they won't equate to the picture packed posts i used to do but for now they'll have to suffice.

as always, until next time, that's all folks... xX

Sunshine and Rain ★

so i got back to the Island yesterday afternoon, completely exhausted, sad to say goodbye to Ireland but undeniably glad to be home!!!

today i got up bright and early to head into a very gloomy and rainy Douglas, so it was boots, trench coat and umbrella weather again!

anyway i wandered around town for a bit before meeting my cousin Mandy and my little cousin Sienna

Mandy had to dash off so i got to look after little miss Sienna and then all of a sudden it was time for us to head to the Alpine to meet my friends Mike and Quinn for some lunch

Quinn's lovely little sister Elan came along too and we all had a yummy lunch in the Alpine (aka my café home from home!) where i also bumped into Melanie (the café's owner) who is in the process of getting some of my illustrations tattooed onto her foot!!!

i'll snap some photos once it's all done but it's looking soooooo awesome! it's crazy to see MY drawings on someone's skin! weird but very VERY cool!!!

anyway by the time we all left the café it was really sunny and bright! cannot handle this insane weather, how are you supposed to dress for a day like this?! we all stood chatting in the street for a bit while Sienna played with her new toy

it was a lovely afternoon though, we just wandered around town, looking in shops, chatting, generally having a laugh! i clearly don't get out enough... that's why i always enjoy it so much when i have a day out like this with friends/family!

we sat in the Strand Shopping Centre for a while too, well... Quinn and Mike sat while i mooched around the toy stores with Sienna and Elan, i really will NEVER grow up!

but alas at long last, it was time to go!!! i met them today because Mike is heading back off to University in Kingston on Friday so i wanted to say goodbye + hand over his belated Birthday present (a 'Back to the Future' t-shirt) 

luckily Quinn doesn't head off to start Uni in Falmouth until September so hopefully i'll get to see her again before she vanishes until Xmas! + i'm going to make her a very special little plushie fawn as a going away present!

anyway, after town we went up to my cousin Mandy's flat for a bit where Sienna tried on her pretty new dress

we actually went there because my mum had to pick up her pet birds (two cockatiels called George and Sid) but it was nice to relax for a bit watching MTV and playing in the garden with Sienna

and i guess that was my day! apologies for the uber personal post!!!

i have 3 amazing new creative café features lined up, in fact i don't know which one do do first they're all that good!!!

so be sure to look out for the first of them tomorrow evening

until then... that's all folks ◕‿◕ ★ xX

Buttons n' things ★

oh hey folks

how's everybody's Monday been so far?!

surprisingly mine's not been to abysmal, i've had a nice productive day + i've gotten a few things sorted and i even managed to have a nice chat with some old friends

anyway . . .

guess who went button shopping this morning!

that's right! ME! just for a change!

i popped to Just Enough for a button dash then on to college to get cracking on some sewing times

i also bought a rather adorable tomato and chilli pin cushion since i'm SICK of losing all my pins

anyway on with the sewing times, i finished the last little detail on the Fawn first

(and yes you can see my stack of Doctor Who DVD's in the background, kindly supplied by Mike)

her name is Amelia just so we're clear here . . . + in case you couldn't guess! and that's all i'm telling you for now!

anyway she's all done now although unfortunately one of my friends wants me to make her one before she goes off to Uni . . . we shall see Quinn, we shall see!

nah i'm kidding, i'm happy to make one for her just not right now! tooooo busy getting other stuff made + messing up my desk

in other news though, when i arrived at my desk this morning i found this little fella waiting for me 

turns out that this guy was a present from my lovely fashion tutor/last years tutor/friend Billee, she randomly brings me back these lovely little doll charms/brooches from her trips to Spain

here we have Juanita, Roberto and Alfredo (yes i named them. . . what of it!)

i'd also like to thank Billee for lending me a big stack of 'Selvedge' magazines

i've only flicked through about three copies so far and i've already spotted a bajillion amazingly gorgeous things!

not to mention dozens of amazing artists/makers to research and blog about in posts to come!

the tag on their site says it all really . . .

"Selvedge Magazine... offers the world’s finest textile photography, unparalleled design and peerless writing. Open a copy of Selvedge and you sense there is a philosophy that Selvedge readers subscribe to. A belief system based on a cerebral and sensual addiction to textiles in all forms. Readers share a belief in the importance of their material surroundings and a passion for the beautiful and beautifully made. Our aim is simple: to provide a textile publication which fits seamlessly into their creative lifestyle. Directed towards an international, discerning audience, Selvedge covers fine textiles in every context: fine art, interiors, fashion, travel and shopping."

if you haven't heard of the magazine, check out it's website here - Selvedge

thanks Billee xX

* * *

not much else to report on today, tomorrow i have to go to college (on my day off no less!!!) to print out lots of candy stuff then in the evening it's my friends (Liz, Ben and Sharon) exhibition preview in Port Erin

exciting times!

now if you'll excuse me i must dash off to watch Family Guy, adieu!

that's all folks . . .  ◕‿◕ ★

Fireworks and Fun ★

so tonight was 'Guy Fawkes Night' here in the UK, also known as 'Bonfire Night'

if you've never heard if Bonfire Night or have and just don't understand what it's all about...

allow me to give you a little explanation ★

"Guy Fawkes Night originates from 'the Gunpowder Plot' of 1605, a failed conspiracy by a group of provincial English Catholics to assassinate the Protestant King James I of England (also known as King James VI of Scotland) and replace him with a Catholic head of state. 

The survival of the King was first celebrated on 5 November 1605, after Guy Fawkes, who was left in charge of the barrels of gunpowder placed underneath the House of Lords, was discovered and arrested."

so there you have it, in Britain today we still celebrate this old tradition by holding big firework displays and having bonfires to remember the failed attempt to blow up Parliament in London.

another custom that goes with the firework displays is for people to make little effigies known as 'Guys' to burn on the bonfires. children normally made the 'Guys' to try and raise some money to buy fireworks hence the phrase' penny for the Guy' and traditionally these effigies would represent Guy Fawkes but nowadays most kids just make really crappy 'Guys' out of old tracksuits and plastic masks, then sit with them outside supermarkets hoping to get a few quid from passers by.

there's also a few old rhymes that go with Bonfire night, the most famous one is actually quite long but part of the old rhyme goes like this... 

"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

the Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

i see no reason, 

why the Gunpowder Treason,

should ever be forgot..."

anyway, since it was Bonfire night i popped out to Ramsey in the North of the Island for the annual Fireworks display set off from the little island in the middle of the lake in Mooragh Park. and as per usual... it didn't disappoint!

i didn't have my camera with me but i managed to grab a few snaps on my phone (which has a rubbish camera), and although they aren't brilliant (or anywhere near remotely good) i tried my best! it was VERY cold and my hands were pretty numb so... yeah!

the park was packed and people were gathered all around the edges of the lake waving glo-sticks (i got a red one... thanks dad) and torches waiting for the display to begin.

the turnout was spectacular and so were the fireworks! it was a great night. we left the house early and since i only live about ten minutes away from Ramsey we got some fish and chips first and sat by the park eating them, it was super dee duper... 

i'm really glad i got to go tonight since i missed last years display! after the charity fashion show last November i got a really bad cold and spent my Bonfire night in bed! so this year was a real treat!

i guess Bonfire night is just another seemingly crazy English custom and tradition but hey... i could say the same about customs and traditions all over the world so don't knock mine and i won't knock yours... deal!

* * *

in other news...

i had another meeting this afternoon concerning the new 'project', this time i had to take the team along... the team consisting of myself, Quinn, Chris (aka Meg) and Nathan

however... Nathan was busy with a filming thing for college so it was just me, Quinneh and Megan for the meeting times.

it was nice though, i had a great afternoon and the meeting went really well, as i said before... stay tuned!

* * *

i also got a lovely message off a Spanish girl today as well, her name is Judit and she left a comment on here saying how much she liked the post with all the 'Gorjuss' paintings and how she too is a Mika fan... in that case she was already 'muy bueno y estupendo' in my eyes but then i checked out her blog as well.

 it's really cute with a great vibe to it and although i only caught the gist of the posts since my Spanish is a little rusty (well it has been about 4 years since i last studied it full time) i really loved her pictures as well. 

she seems like a really super girl anyways and i'm grateful for her comment and forbecoming a follower of my blog, 

muchas gracias Judit, tanto gusto, ¡eres muy amable!

if you'd like to check out her blog then just follow this link - Juditsite

* * *

and that's it i guess, it's been a long day and i am verrrrry tired so i think i'll call it a night and go and curl up in bed with a cup of tea to watch some 'Fringe' ... you know, for a change!

that's all folks...

♥ ◕‿◕ ★ xX

Hats and Happy times ♥

so yesterday I spent most of the day in town with my friend Charlotte (check out her super sweet blog here – Loretta Jane's Vintage Boutique) and Quinn (check out her fabby Tumblr here - See Quinn)mooching around the shops and having a look at all the fabulous Christmas goodies that have started to appear everywhere. (i think Abode and M&S won just for sheer festive fabulousness)

I still haven't started my Christmas shopping so i'll really have to get a move on next week and try and get some bits. It was my plan yesterday to get at least 3 or 4 presents for people but... instead I bought myself a hat!

it's so adorable though! a cute little black wool cloche with thin black grosgrain ribbon tied round the brim with little pearl beads and a cute bow. 

i bought a cloche last autumn/winter from Accessorize which i lived in (especially during my trip to London before xmas) but this one is just sooooo cute! i don't need it and i probably shouldn't have bought it but... oh well!

it's from Marks & Spencer and you can buy it here - Cloche Hat

in other news... i woke up yesterday to find an email in my inbox telling me i'd been given a £125 voucher to spend on asos. 

now for those of you unfamiliar with asos (have you been living under a rock...) it's a super duper online shop that sells clothes, accessories and everything else you could possible ever need for your wardrobe and dressing table! 

it also sells mens and kids clothes too but... that's not the point right now, the point is... i have a voucher to spend on it and i have NO idea what to get!!! 

the voucher is valid for a year so maybe i'll just wait a bit (surprisingly when it comes to fashion i can sometimes be patient) and see what turns up in the new year or something.

in case you're wondering, the voucher was a gift from the duo behind the Chloe loves Charlie website i mentioned in my last post. i am very grateful to them for sending me it, it's a lovely gesture and a well thought out gift, since during the whole design process of the Chloé girls one of the fashion sites we discussed as an existing comparison to Chloe loves Charlie was asos. 

so... thank you ◕‿◕ ♥

* * *

also...

when i woke up this morning Charlotte had left a link on my facebook wall to one of the most fabulous vintage style Fashion Shoots i've seen in a long time. (NOTE: lots and lots of fabulous photos to follow...)

it's a fantastic shoot by Lupi Spuma. apparently Lupi Spuma are made up of three fabulous photographers, Karin Lernbeiss, Judith Recher and Alexander Karelly. 

they all live and work in Graz, Austria. but seeing as i don't speak German i can't be completely sure if they're a team of photographers or if one is a stylist etc etc. anyway... apologies if i got it wrong!

this shoot really is so gorgeous though! there literally isn't anything about it that i don't L-O-V-E! so super duper! the fashion, the colours, the models, the locations... so SOOOO sublime! 

 yes... it even has 'train' photos! you see... what's not to love! it's so good though, the models expressions are adorable, very reminiscent of the Pin-up poses and expressions found in the fabulous work of Gil Elvgren methinks...

also... seeing as the shoot is for the Lena Hoschek Autumn-Winter collection 2010-11 i thought i'd try and find out a little bit about the designer as well since the clothes are so god-damn fabulous. 

now Lena Hoschek IS actually a name i've heard before, supposedly so synonymous with vintage style fashion, however i didn't know much about her so i visited her lovely website here - Lena Hoschek

for starters... i totally love the statement on her site in reference to her designs - "You´re attention loving? Well, you'll be attention getting! Wearing Lena Hoschek places you directly into the spotlight of the ultra feminine"

here's more info off her darling little site - 

"After assisting Vivienne Westwood at her London studio, Lena Hoschek started her own label in 2006 at the age of 24. Her collections do not follow trends or the general conception of ‘cool’, they are simply a reflection of what has fascinated her since her childhood: the female ideal of the 40s and 50s, craftsmanship, high-end tailoring, traditional materials and patterns but also rock 'n’ roll and punk music, tattoos, bad guys and fast cars. 

Celebrating the erotics of the Pin-up who didn’t take herself too seriously, her clothes are made for all the Sophia Lorens and Marilyns of today. Lena Hoschek’s collections take you back to times when women were real women and men were real men. I bet, when designing, she secretly dreams of Rhett Butler"

ah now you see the bit about working for Vivienne Westwood doesn't surprise me at all! to be perfectly honest when i first opened the link from Charlotte i thought it was just a fashion shoot using all diffferent brands and my first thought when i spotted the picture below... 'oh it's a Vivienne Westwood dress right?!'

but isn't that statement brilliant! it makes me love her clothes even more just because she sounds so super duper fabulous and merveilleux! 

after all according to the site, "Lena Hoschek’s collections take you back to times when women were real women and men were real men"

...

YES PLEASE!!!!! 

i can also honestly say that i would happily wear ANY of the clothes from the photos i included in this post! 

and believe me i only included my very top faves, it was a big shoot and i could have happily posted the whole ruddy thing but... i didn't

anyway, if you want to see the original shoot in full follow this link - Lupi Spuma for Lena Hoschek

and if you want to see the general fabulous splendiferous beauty that is Lena Hoschek's site click here - Lena Hoschek

* * *

ok i'm off to make some lunch now, vermicelli noodles... for a change! 

hope you all enjoy the rest of your Sunday

that's all folks...

♥ ◕‿◕ ★ xX