ESC pocket zine

a couple of months ago, through Twitter and Facebook and the like, i started networking with a really groovy independent zine based in Dublin called ESC

anyway, earlier last month i was chatting with one of their super members online when they mentioned that they were looking for submissions for a new project they were working on for the 'Independents Day' independent zine fair in Dublin.

regular readers of the blog will be well aware of my total love and adoration of Ireland + all things Irish (seriously if you don't believe me click on my 'Ireland' tag and see for yourself!) so i was more than happy to get involved.

they wanted drawings and poems, that sort of thing, to put into a set of mini 'pocket zines' folded in a particular way to create little mini works of art.

well, i didn't think i'd have enough time to submit anything but then i ended up not being able to sleep for a few days so i had a go in the very small hours of a day and voila... i came up with a very messy, literally scribbled mini zine at around 3am in the morning.

i'm always quite contrary so instead of submitting some stuff to go in a zine, i just made my own and scanned it in to be printed out instead. here's one i printed out for my logbook but i thought i'd snap some pics of it before it gets hidden away. 

enjoy...

there were three 'themes' to pick from 'maps and legends, how soon is now + transfiguration'. they're all song titles, so i went for 'Maps and Legends' purely because it sounded the most fun...

when you open the zine you see this delightful doodle, then when you open it again...

 it's a map! well, sort of...

i used some more lyrics from the R.E.M. 'maps and legends' song as well, just because... you know

accurate representation of where i live + Ireland.

warning: sea monsters may appear larger in real life.

anyway when you open it again you get the final page(s)

a big ol' mash up of mythical creatures and a few books because, well i just love books so...

 here we have a scowling fairy, a goblin giving a thumbs up + a messy little Irish dancer and a happy Leprechaun.

the Dr Suess quote was needed. i know it doesn't make any sense or fit in with the theme but it's MY mini zine so i'll put what i want in it. oh AND 'your argument is invalid' i got my best scientists to prove it. and they did.

oh yeah there's also a sort of Ogre/Giant type guy, a pixie and a unicorn in there as well.

and the self explanatory back cover of the zine.

did you like it? it's a bit different to what i usually do i know but my tutors are always banging on at me about stepping away from the norm so this is the best i can do to that effect what with being a mental perfectionist and all that.

to see more of the pocket zines + to find out more about ESC you can head over to their site here - ESC zine

that's it for now, keep looking out for the rest of the 'May Draw A Day' posts as the month goes on, that's all folks... xX

Kind of Boring Stuff ★

hello hello from Dublin town!!! sorry for the mini hiatus, been verrrry busy walking about, shopping, catching trams and the like

but will you just LOOK at what i got today!!! just had to get this amaaaaazing cherry necklace! i LOVE it!!!

isn't it gorgeous!!!

* * *

so the other day I bought this uber cute little rainbow swirl lollipop to go in the giveaway!

I'd have LOVED to have put in one of the big lollies like the one I got in Kinsale, but they're kind of heavy and who knows where these goodies will need to be posted to! I figured a mini lollipop would be better...

there's not been that many entries so far so you know... get entering!

there's still 10 days left to enter before the giveaway closes, to see ALL of the prizes head over to this page here - August Giveaway

so what are you waiting for... GO NOW AND ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!!

* * *

in other news, while I was getting the lolly I also got myself some bags of jazzles

now if you don't know what jazzles are... then you really haven't lived!!!

I was addicted to these when I was little and I still luuuuurve them now! I like them both together, the milk chocolate and white chocolate ones (yeah i'm a bit weird like that! Go figure)

but they are sooooo SO delicious!

Ok i'll shut up about them now...

* * *

so what else?! Well to be honest there isn't much else!

I travelled up to Dublin on Saturday morning but I hate hate HATE to wander around Dublin taking pictures! I don't know what it is, it have the same mentality whenever i'm in London! So SO much beautiful architecture + stuff to photograph yet I never can bring myself to fish out the camera and start snapping!

although today while wandering along Grafton street i couldn't resist snapping a shot of the very gorgeous exterior of the famous Bewley's Café 

Dublin is a city that I absolutely LOVE to visit! It has such a great atmosphere and it's always so vibrant and fun

yesterday was no different since it was the Rugby world cup Ireland v France match last night here in the city at the Aviva stadium at Croke Park near to where I stayed last August

all day the streets were full of supporters milling about in their green shirts waiting for the 5pm kick off

unfortunately France absolutely kicked Ireland's arse last night but there was still a great patriotic vibe about the city all day

today was the same since it was the GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final earlier, Kerry v Mayo

Co Kerry won so congrats to them! :)

anyway, today we caught LUAS tram into the city centre where myself and my mum headed off to Abbey street and O'Connoll street while my dad went off to the Point (where the Dublin O2 academy is) near the docks

we had a cracking afternoon wandering up and down O'Connell street and of course... Grafton street!

though unsurprisingly the highlight was probably getting to visit Brown Thomas again!!!

we also popped to the Museum this afternoon where unfortunately, photography isn't permitted! so all i could do was snap a pic of the beautiful old 18th Century Army Barracks that now house the National Musueum of Ireland

where i also ended up getting a pair of mini pencil sharpeners from the shop shaped like a naval cannon and a field gun

 aren't they cute!!! 

* * *

anyway i think that's it for today, this has been a verrrrry boring post so i'm sorry for that! only i would be able to write such a god awful boring post in an amazing city like Dublin! 

i really am sorry...

last day here tomorrow so i probably won't post at all... unless something exciting happens tomorrow that is!

that's all folks... ◕‿◕ ★ xX

Stranded in Ireland

so yes... because Karma obviously hates me i am unfortunately stranded indefinitely in a small, rather grotty (it is genuinely grotty... there's damp everywhere) hotel in Dún Laoghaire! we left Cork at 8:15am and drove for 3.5 hours to Dublin Port... where we were told the boat had been cancelled!

it must be really shocking weather because the English boat to Holyhead was cancelled as well. the problem is... the weather in the Irish Sea is so miserable at the moment, there's a strong chance the boat may be cancelled tomorrow as well!

THIS is what i look like at the moment

like a sad slice of Kawaii lemon

FML!!!!

normally i would find this sort of thing hilarious but...

1: i've been here for 11 days and i WANT to go home!

2: i'm supposed to be going out tomorrow night for my friend's birthday

3: i have run out of things to wear because i made sure to only pack enough for the trip

4: i got about 2 hours sleep last night so i'd definitely be tired for the boat this afternoon

5: i also starved myself ALL day to make sure i wouldn't throw up on the boat

6: i am insanely p***ed off because i was really looking forward to getting home!

so... i'm not a happy girly really as i'm sure you'll understand!

my friend Alex texted me to let me know the forecast is slightly better for tomorrow but let's face it... if it's like this today there's a pretty strong chance it's still gonna be as bad tomorrow.

well... Ireland obviously isn't willing to let me go just yet!

so now i'm stuck in this poky hotel room using up the free wi-fi and watching an endless stream of Johnny Depp films on my laptop (at least i came well prepared right!)

here's hoping i'll make it home eventually xX

greetings from heaven... aka Dublin

so this is where i spent my afternoon...

in HEAVEN!!!

also known as Brown Thomas on Grafton street in Dublin

also known as my heaven

i'd slowly been making my way to it all day, cleverly steering the parents away from O'Connell street, over the bridge up past Trinity College to the delights of Grafton street, they were none the wiser thank god but i certainly was! i was hardly going to come to Dublin and not visit Brown Thomas was i!

naturally i did my research before leaving the island!

but thank god i had my trusty cream Chloé Paddington with me otherwise i swear they might have kicked me out of the shop! it was soooo luscious and gorgeous inside! it was basically Selfridges in Dublin... only with a little bit of added Irish charm

my mum nearly bought these patent mary janes from the Christian Louboutin section, i physically had to try and remove her from the shop only somehow we ended up stuck in the Louis Vuitton section instead drooling while the lovely shop assistant gladly sorted out the latest season bags for us to parade around in front of the mirror with.

it was a pair of little Lanvin pumps that i had to be dragged away from though!

i pretty much wept in the Chanel section. too many 2.55's, in every colour! i could have died for the delicious burgundy one!

the only place i felt at home was the Chloé section because at least i've got a taste of that from my two Paddingtons

still... as soon as i found the Marc Jacobs bit it was the end! one day that stam will be mine i swear to god!

i also fell in love with this little bejewelled bag in the Miu Miu area, gorgeous, sparkly, perfect.

it came in mint, blushed champagne and charcoal. any colour would suit me fine if anyone fancies getting me one for Christmas!

God bless Brown Thomas that's all i can say!

that's all for now,

arrivederci mia amicas

◕‿◕ xX