Things I Wish I'd Known Before Leaving University with an Art's Degree

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So, you were eighteen, you were passionate, you were excited, you wanted to go against everything your teachers/parent's wanted you to do and you went to study the creative arts. You've invested minimum three years, and thousands of pounds, and it has all culminated in one final show / production / piece that you've created and you have never been prouder of yourself, or felt more accomplished.

But then, graduation comes and goes, and suddenly your finding yourself looking into the black hole of the now nearly non-existent Ideastap Jobs Board and wondering what went wrong in your life.

For those of you who are just leaving university and getting ready to enter the big wide world - I'm not trying to put you off. And those considering going to university to do it - trust me it will be a brilliant decision, and you'll have the best time of your life whilst you're studying.

 Jobs

When you leave, it's going to be hard, it's going to be so, so hard. You are going to doubt every decision you've ever made, you may be filled with so much anxiety at times you no longer want to leave your house. You will put in endless hours on bars, and in shops, and feel like your life is going no where, but always remember that as long as you keep working, going to class, attending other people's shows, and trying really hard to do what you want to do,  then everything will work out. And I'm not guaranteeing you'll get the job of your dreams, and live your life as an actor or artist forever because you might not. But you will have tried, and it will be worth it.

You might apply for 100 jobs before you get an interview. You might get the first one you apply for. But you all will eventually get an interview, and you will eventually get a job. No one has ever been eternally jobless for no reason. It will happen for you.

Homes

You might move in with your parents to save on rent and you will sacrifice a lot of the independence you've been enjoying throughout university. But, if it means you can put in a few more hours a week chasing your dream rather than serving someone's drinks then it might just be worth it.

It also might not be worth it depending on what kind of person you are - but I will tell you from experience it is nearly impossible to hold down a full-time job, and continue to practice, or better yet work, in the field you actually want to be in. Also, if you want to life in London then paying rent will eat all of your probably measly wages, and you'll have to live of baked beans and fish fingers again. (This bit is actually quite a lot like being at uni in reflection.)

Motivation

It is this hard for everyone, not just for you. At the end of the day, it is the people who strive the longest who are likely to have more success. It's the people with the most motivation, and often the most to lose who will work harder. Hard work tends to lead to greater achievement.

Likewise if you realise early on that the artist lifestyle isn't actually for you. That's fine too. Find something else your interested in, volunteer, intern, change fields completely if you want to.

Friends

You will no longer see your friends everyday. In fact, you may go months in between meet-ups. But when you do see them, it won't be any different. Those who you don't see anymore, or who when you meet-up with them you no longer have much in common. It's OK to let them go. It will happen naturally, but don't feel guilty or sad. You'll meet plenty more people, and make new friends, and have a fabulous time.

Life

Essentially the point I'm getting at is that life is hard. After uni, what happens is life. When your in education, there is always something that's certain, regardless of what happens in your personal or family life, your education has a structure, there is always a next step and there is also someone to guide you through it. In life, suddenly nothing is certain. It's a hard adjustment. But it does get easier. Just keep trying, and live life how you want to. Be a nice person, help people, do small things to help make the world a little bit better. Or big things if you can and want to. At the end of the day, your career doesn't have to define you. The way you choose to live your life as a person is just as important.

Wishlist: Pick of the Sales

It's that time again! When everything you've already bought is a little bit cheaper, and every thing you put off buying is now affordable. BUT in order to get there you have to trawl through a load of people standing around your rail, dropping things on the floor, wiping their hands on stuff you want, and just general being awful. OR spend about 4 hours online shopping only to realise when you go to checkout everything you wanted is sold out in your size. So as I was busying myself with option number 2, I thought it would be nice to take the pain out of sales shopping for some of you if I could.

Accessories 

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I'm in love with these sunglasses, but I know the shape won't suit my face. Please, someone give them a loving home! Also - these shoes...I've seen them in real life and I just want to stroke them again!

Shoes - Whistles - £70 / Sunglasses - Zara - £12.99 / Hat - Whistles - £22.50

Dresses, Playsuits, and some Culottes for good measure. 

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This black playsuit though. It may not be the most summery of colours - but it will see you through all the season's because black tights. I also desperately want some culottes, but I am far too scared to order any online as I can predict the future when they are just weirdly full length on my little legs.

Dress - Topshop - £20 / Playsuit - Zara - £25.99 / Culottes  - Topshop (branded)  - £75)

Tops

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This glittery sweatshirt is so perfect for that moment in the evening at a BBQ or on the beach when it just gets a little bit too chilly, but theres no way your ready to go inside! Also  - suede and denim. They need no further explanation.

Suede - Zara - £17.99 / Sweatshirt - Whistles - £60 / Denim shirt - Zara - £17.99

Happy Shopping Everybody!

My favourite Instagram Accounts: Part 1

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After having such a great response to my blogging favourites a couple of week's ago (here) I  thought I'd share a few of my instagram favourites. These are three account's I follow that I just can't help but like every photo they post.

@melodramablog

This account is run by a fab lady based in the US of A. She is a creative blogger, and is always posting cool and quirky things that she's either made or found. I love this Vnyl sign, (and the 'M' because I just really want one of these for my own bedroom right now!) There is always lots of colour, and fun in her post's, and the captions are amusing too! What more could you want!

@carnetprune

This beautiful minimalist account is run by a blogger in Paris called Angeline. Now I'm a sucker for any Paris based instagram account, I think the city is pretty much the most aesthetically pleasing place on the planet, and I've always had a deep rooted love for it, so I probably am biased. But, basically, I just want all my photo's to look like her's all the time. There is a great mix of food, fashion and everything in between. And this lady has got that instagram theme thing DOWN!

@_hollywhite

Holly has one of those accounts where it's all just lovely and monochrome all the time. She's got the art of a good pic down to a T. Like Angeline, she has a nice mix of fashion, beauty, lifestyle (and of course the obligatory morning cup of coffee snap). And her account is less of a 'If only that could be my life' and more of a 'That could actually be life if I just spent more time arranging my photo's' and I mean that as a good thing. (obvs - she's in the favourites!)

So if your after some new accounts to follow, these ladies come highly recommended by myself! And (cheeky plug) you can find my account here too, if you would like to come and say hello!

TopshopXOlympusPEN: Photography Basics.

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Now, don't get me wrong I am by no means an expert when it comes to taking a photograph. In fact, until a few weeks ago I could get to grips with composition of a photo, then stand there with my camera in auto and hope for the best. But then I attended the TopshopXOlympusPEN workshops, and I basically learnt the basic's of operating a camera in manual, and I've found it SO useful, that I thought it would only be fair to share my knowledge!

The Event

The event itself was brilliantly organised, and well thought out.  The session I attended was taught by Cleveland and Victoria from In the Frow. We had nearly an hour, and were all given an Olympus Pen to try taking the perfect flat-lay with the props Topshop had provided. The camera was lovely to use, I also brought by own along and used that for some of the shots as well, and these are the ones I've used here.

Both the teachers, and the other Olympus staff there were super helpful, and now I'm so much more confident using my camera, and I hope my photo's are starting to slowly improve too! So here's a summary of what I learnt, and hopefully it will be useful to someone out there who was as clueless about this as me!

 

What I learnt

This is the before snap -  when I shot the photo in auto, (my camera does normally take better photo's than this in Auto but given that we were undergound in Topshop with TerHERible lighting, this is what it produced.)

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So exposure is basically to do with how much light is coming through your camera lens, this is important for quite obvious reasons. Too much light = photo is too bright. Not enough light = photo is too dark. You get the idea. But the exposure can be controlled but changing these three elements.

Aperture 

This is the setting that controls the size of the opening that is letting the light through the lens. Aperture is measured in f-stops, and basically the lower the f-stop number, the larger the opening and the more light will come in through to your lens, and vice versa.

Aperture is also what allows the focus to change between the items in the foreground, or background. Basically when you see those great looking photo's with a product nicely in focus and a blurry background - this isn't done in editing, but by changing the aperture settings! A high f-stop should be used for this effect, and low f-stop for a landscape or similar where you want both the background, and foreground in focus.

Shutter speed

Shutter speed controls the amount of time that the light is let in for. Changing this allows you to take photos of moving objects.

ISO

This is useful if you are shooting in different lights. So for example, a lower ISO on a bright day, and your image will come out crisp and sharp. In low light, you will probably need to have a higher ISO, but too hight and it may decrease the sharpness that's achieved with the lower ISO.

And this is the after photo, after applying my new knowledge. As you can see I spilt a LOT more nail polish after this process, and the photo is brighter, sharper and less shadowy than above!

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I hope this helped even a little - if you have any tips to share please feel free!

Bonus snap: me practicing at home with better lighting and the amazing items Topshop gave every participant in a goody bag! I'm now completely addicted to these Vita Coco coffee things!

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Picnic Perfect

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Ducks, ice cream, and tiny sausages

Really is there anything more classic "Summer in London" than a walk along the Serpentine with ice cream in hand, and a spontaneous picnic? Not in my opinion friends.

And this time, I even decided to be extra prepared for any spontaneous picnic-ing by wearing the picnic blanket on myself! I jest, but this outfit is pretty heavy on the gingham, in a good way of course because really - what could be more fun than frolicking around in a frilly gingham dress? And what gives you a better excuse to get over-excited feeding ducks and having Ice Cream than being dressed just a teensy bit like a five year old? Very little I tell you!

You can just about tell that we are in London, thanks to some building's peeping out over the tree-tops (and one very large one!) But if it wasn't for this, the endless reems of Boris bikes, and the concrete pavement (and people of course, so. many. people) you'd think it was somewhere out in the lush green countryside!

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I took hair inspiration from the ever-stylin' Little Miss Katy, as I have a theory that pollen in hair might be cause of a certain particular kind of sneezing that can wreck havoc, and ruin a lovely summer picnic faster than those pesky grey clouds you can see in the distance! (That, and I left my replacement Frizz-Ease under my desk on friday night...)

I've had this amazing Topshop shirt since last year, and it's a definite summer staple for me, but I always wear it as a thin, throw-on jacket. The back of this dress is so pretty, but in the interests of full disclosure, I have to admit, the Jacket did not come off once, excluding the taking of the above photo. I'm a pretty pasty one, and however lovely the back of a dress might be, getting my un-creamed skin out is not worth risking lobster syndrome (stay safe in the sun my friends.

Shirt - Topshop (similar here / Dress - Zara / Shoes - Converse

Travelling - Fantasy's and Fears

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Travel

'I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list' 

So if you've ever entered the world of pinterest, you may have seen a inspirational travel quote or two floating around, and these are often followed by pictures of lots of incredible places all over the world, that no I have never been to, and in reality probably will never go to. It's not that I don't want to. Believe me, I can think of nothing I would rather do than spend the rest of my life seeing those places - that is - as long as I could snap my fingers and be there.

People often talk to me about travelling, and all the marvellous places they've been, and want to go to. I always feel a little like I can't join in when the conversation turns global. I have travelled to a few places, and only ever really on holiday's. I've never been backpacking, I've only once been to a different continent and that was to the USA - again on a very comfortable family holiday.

People often tell me I'm just the sort of person who like's being near home. Although that is I guess in some way the case - I do feel more comfortable at home, of course I do, who doesn't? But there are several reason's I've not yet made the time to travel.

'And then I realised. Adventures are the best way to learn' 

I've been busy. Terrible excuse I know but I have been. When everyone else was on a Gap Year - I was doing a foundation course, then already a year behind I couldn't start uni any later. Every summer I needed to work, or had week's of work experience and internship's lined up, and I never made the time to go anywhere. I also thought it was more important, and that I could travel any time, and everywhere would still be there when the time was right.

'If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine - it's lethal' 

Well guess what destinations have always been top of my list?  Venice is sinking, and Cuba's on the path to Starbucks and Mcdonalds. Suddenly I've found myself in a full time job, with quite little holiday time, and restrictions on when I can take it, and I don't know when I'll ever be able to go.

But then, I brought this on myself a little. This is surely what I wanted when I put in all those hours over summer volunteering and interning - surely this is what it was for?

But in reality, I didn't make that choice because I would have rather one than the other. Really I was scared. I was scared of the flights, the trains, the hostel rooms. I was scared of getting mugged (when I live in one of the areas of the country with the highest crime rates...make's no sense) scared of eating something that has a secret nut in it that might kill me. I've made excuses and found reasons not to go, and now my anxiety has come to fill me with fear of what I've missed out on.

'Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it' 

Well if you are still reading, I hope you'll be pleased to know that I'm taking steps to overcome this. I've booked a week in Paris in August- it's not far, and it's not new - but I am going completely solo! I am terrified, but also excited. Hopefully it will help me get over some of my fears, and I'll be travelling a little further away from home in no time!

Here are my 5 most longed for trips. I may put them on my before 40 bucket list (I think before 30 is probably a bit ambitious, as some will probably be quite expensive, and time consuming!) If you've been to any I would love to know your recommendations.

My dream trips 

• Cuba


• Venice/Rome/Italy in general


• Namibia and/or Kenya (safari's and sand dunes)


• South America (backpacking please)


• Japan

Thanks for listening to my ramblings!

A British Summer and Another Button Down Skirt.

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Stormy Seas

After making plans for a weekend trip to the seaside, booking a BnB and train tickets, you can imagine how thrilled I was when I read the weather forecast and it showed high winds, and lots and lots of rain. As it is now officially summer I decided to just pretend that this wasn't the case, and we ventured on regardless.

Thankfully,  Brighton is one of those places with enough to do, that even a storm can't ruin the fun. (I actually have always really enjoyed being by the sea when it's stormy  - it  makes me feel like I'm in a dramatic scene in a period drama movie - not sure why...). But back on topic, we had a lovely day strolling the laines, eating cake, and making up new rules to play at the 2p machines in the arcade. In one of few breaks in the rain we managed to take some rather windswept photos, so I could share my weather inappropriate outfit with you.

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What I Wore

Jacket-Vintage / Shirt-Zara / Skirt-Topshop / Shoes-Topsop

I'd been very reluctant to go for a button down skirt as it's just become a bit too trendy, but my only other denim skirt is a rider, and I was need. I had a Topshop voucher, and this one had to do. But then, I haven't taken it off since I brought it. It's easy to wear, comfy and incredibly versatile. Ignore the hype, if you want one then buy one!

I stupidly decided that a non-waterproof, hoodless jacket would suffice and of course I wouldn't need an umbrella - don't be silly this is BRITAIN it's always sunny and it never rains - ever! You'd have thought that after 24 years of holidaying round the English coast I would've learnt my lesson, but alas, no. I got very wet, yet again.

To top it all off, my favourite comfy walking shoes that were the only one's I had brought down with me, are not only velvet (yet again, excellent choice considering you had actually checked the forecast Milli) and they then also got a hole in the sole. (The ever fantastically well made Topshop for you ladies and gents) So naturally, my feet got very wet also.

But the moral of the story is never let a bit of rain, wet feet, and a crumpled shirt spoil the fun!

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Thought of the Week: Blog's I'm loving!

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So I don't know about you but I waste a lot of time on the internet, and most of that is spent either online shopping (hello Asos) or reading blogs. Now, since I started blogging myself, I've started reading more and more and learning about new bloggers and different genre's and there are a few that I seem to go back to time and again (every day) and I wanted to spread some love, and share them with you lot! Now I've only been in this game for about 4 months now, but these lovely blogs are all inspirations to me, and so if you enjoy my blog I imagine you'll enjoy theirs as well.

Creativity

Foundsomepaper.com by Uli. 

I love reading Uli's post's because they are always so different. Her pictures are colourful, and vibrant and her writing is intelligent and insightful. She describes herself as 'an advocate of creativity' and there is always something you can get involved in. Her post 'Found Some Thoughts on Creativity' post is one of my favourites.

Fashion/Lifestyle

Iamdaisyalice.com by Daisy Alice

This girls got great style and her food photography always makes me hungry! She's got a great balance between fashion/style posts and lifestyle, and I love the 'Shop' feature on her page (saves me a lot of the afore-mentioned ASOS time wastage!)

Food/Health

Brittonloves.co.uk by Lauren

Lauren is my favourite go-to blogger for healthy lifestyle posts. She has some gorgeous recipe posts, and I love reading her well-being advice. My favourite is her 'Why you should put happiness first post!'

Photography / Blogging Tips

Mediamarmalade.com by Melissa

Now, I was trying to stick with blogs under 1000 followers, but I also thought I'd put in a blogger that I take mega-inspiration from, and someone who I aspire to have a blog even remotely like some way down the line. Although this technically isn't a photography blog, but Melissa's photographs are INCREDIBLE! She post's some lovely style posts, but my personal favourites are the tips posts, that cover both blogging and general life. One of my recent favourite's is 'how to be a success'!

Future Friends

So there you have it 4 of my absolute favourite blogs that I read time and time again. I hope you've made some new discoveries!  It feel's good to share some blogging love, and I'm always looking for more blogs to follow so please always share your links in your comments on my posts, and let me know if you have any favourite bloggers you'd like to see in one of these post's in the future!

May favourites!

It's that time again (where on earth has this month gone!!) In fact it's gone so quickly, I didn't really have enough beauty favourites to do a post exclusively on that. So instead I decided to just round up my favourites things regardless of their category - because why discriminate ey?

Fashion

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Now unless you've been stuck under an instagram-free rock over the past month (good for you if you have been - I'm little obsessed :/)  you will have seen a shed-load of lace-up ballet pumps, a-la Altuzarra. But if, like me you don't have a spare 400 bob to shell out on a pair of shoes then you'll have masses of appreciation for these Topshop beauts. Now, to be honest, I was almost reluctant to put them in my favourites, because  - oh the blisters! - but they are just. so. pretty. Find them here!

Beauty

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A few new piece's I picked up this month, were this pretty delicious orangey smelling shower/bath cream from Soap and Glory. So smelly, and very moisturising, it doesn't dry my skin out like a lot of soap-like products do!

On the orange theme, how gorgeous is this Lipstick colour from Topshop beauty! It's orange but not too orange...it's generally just a very nice colour, particularly if like me you are waring of branching out too far from a classic red, or subtle pink!

Confession time:  I had to look up what this eyebrow pencil's exact name is because I've used it so much it's rubbed off. It's the Brow Satin, and for anyone with thin, fair eyebrows like me it is a beaut of a product. I've never had any bad eyebrow products before, but also never any that I've been like 'WOW everyone look at my eyebrows!' (that did happen) It's double ended, one with a pencil, the other with a powder already on a sponge that fills in gaps! It's great, and under a fiver! What more do you need!

Lifestyle

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This is Clemence and he is my Cactus. I bought him for £2.50 at a Market, and now he is mine, and I look after him and he makes me happy, because he doesn't die like all the other plants I've ever owned. That is why Clemence is my favourite.

What have you been loving this month?

Afternoon Tea at The Wallace Collection

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An Afternoon Treat

After seeing some beautiful photo's of the restaurant at the Wallace Collection all over Instagram, I wanted to give it a go myself and booked a little treat. (Instagram fomo is real!).

So of we trotted up to Marylebone on a sunny sunday to see what all the fuss was about! I'd never been inside The Wallace Collection building before, let alone the restaurant, but it is a pretty special place! A glass roof, pink walls, and pretty tree's give the illusion of being sat outside on a terrace in Italy (albeit eating traditional english afternoon tea...).

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Skip to the good bit...

Of course, nice environments, and pleasant staff are important, but I'm sure you'll all agree with me when I say that the food is what matters the most right! Well, good news, it was lovely! Some of the sandwich flavours weren't my cup of tea (s'cuse the pun) but I can be fussy sometimes (slash I just can't cope with cold egg it's seriously gross why was that ever invented!) and my company for the occasion scoffed them up quickly enough!

The scone's were tasty - and the tiny cakes were not only especially cute, but also especially delicious! It's hard to pick my favourite between the miniature Lemon Meringue Pie, and Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Heart!

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After the tea we had a look round the collection, tried on some armour (not kidding, you can do that!) and had a little look round at the art work on display! I'm not the hugest fan of galleries full of very old paintings...it felt a little pretentious, but I did enjoy looking at the special weaponry, and The Laughing Cavalier made me smile a lot! It's definitely worth a visit, as it's free to enter as well!

Then a wander round Marylebone, and some fantasy house shopping in estate agent windows was definitely called for! Myself, and guest both concluded that we were far to full for dinner. So at £17.50 per person, for the setting, service, location, and food I decided it was worth every penny for a well deserved occasional treat!

If you'd like to see what I wore for the occasion, check out my outfit post here!

 

 

 

Thought of the Week: Reason's to be Happy!

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When I started my Thought of the Week series, it was intended as way to talk about the issue I’d thought about most that week.  So far, you guys have seemed to really enjoy reading them, and I’ve really appreciated every thought you’ve left in return. However, the nature of trying to discuss issues that effect people, whether personal, or global, means that these post’s aren’t always the most cheery. So today, I thought, LET’S JUST ONLY TALK ABOUT HAPPY THINGS.

 Puppy love!

Anyone who follows me on Instagram or Twitter will know this already but I’m getting a puppy! (Cue a series of awww’s and ahhh’s). I’m a proper animal lover and have asked for a puppy pretty much every birthday and Christmas since I could say the word! But now it’s finally happening, and she is the most adorable little creature that ever walked the earth! Her name is Sylvie and she will be home with me in just 5 ½ short weeks!

 Dance away the blues!

 I’ve been dancing more again recently. And I don’t mean in clubs or on nights out (I’m too much of an grandma for such things) but I’ve always been a dancer, training in ballet, contemporary and tap, and have recently (well nearly two years ago) taken up Lindy Hop as well! Social dancing is so much more enjoyable than I ever realized (If a little scary sometimes not having choreography to hide behind!) But in the last month, I’ve done a performance, an intensive workshop, been to class every week and a social dance. I’ve also taught more contemporary classes, and started choreographing again!

Dancing has always made me happy but post-uni it’s hard to keep it up, the industry is notoriously difficult to make a living in, but I’m trying to get better at not thinking about that too much, and just enjoying being able to dance for fun!

 Tidy house, tidy mind!

I’ve become a tidy person. Anyone who I’ve ever lived with, or stayed in a room with for more than 1 hour will know that this is an incredible development in my life. I always thought I was more likely to be the first woman on Mars than to become a tidy person. But it’s happened. I’m really enjoying it at the moment. All my things look so nice, and my clothes are always clean and I can always find everything I’m looking for! I really should’ve done this earlier! (On a side note slightly worrying as it makes me stressed when things aren’t tidy now, but for the meantime I’m enjoying my new pristine living space!

 Ireland and People

On a less personal note! WOO GO IRELAND! I don’t remember a time when there was such a pro-other people display of love and respect anywhere in the world. I think people with extreme views are too much in charge of everything. And it’s great that Ireland just said, Hey hold up! We may believe in different things, but that doesn’t mean we can’t live side by side peacefully, and it definitely doesn’t mean you are any less than anyone else! It’s quite spectacular, and I think more things like this need to happen. If we just looked out for each other a bit more, not necessarily in huge political referendum’s but also just in everyday life, then the world would be a better, happier, and more peaceful place.

On that note, have you got any happy news to share! I’d love to do a round-up of other people’s happy things, so we can celebrate all our success, news and lives together! Let me know in a comment if you would like to be included!

Show of the Month: Golem

 

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Disclaimer: this is a bit of a tease, as this show was only on for a limited run in London and has now closed! However, tour dates can be found here! (they are in Paris next week if anyone fancies the trip - I'll come!)

For a theatre company founded by an animator, you would expect 1927's animation to be pretty well sorted. Their acting, dramaturgy, storytelling, and other theatrical devices maybe less so. This however, is not at all the case with this spectacular all-rounder of a show.

Based on the myth of Golem - a clay man who comes to life to obey his master's every command - we see Robert and his family's life disintegrate as Golem begins to control them. Golem becomes a must have product on the market, and influence's all it's master's choices through tactical manipulation and product placement. By the end of the tale, we see Golem: Version Three, being inserted straight into people's brains. His original purpose - of helping with physical tasks being lost - and he becomes a tool used by the corporations to control the human's every thought.

The story is an exploration of human kind, and our obsession with machines. The need and desire to have the latest technology, as we believe it will better our lives, and the dominance of corporations and the control we don't realise they have.

We are guided through the story by the animation: the backdrop forever moving, we see the characters running through town whilst the actor run's on the spot. Outfit's and furniture change in a flash, and bugs run off pictures as if it's all happening in our own living room.

The animation is impressive, without a doubt. It takes a lot of work to create any animation that's 90 minutes long, especially anything decent. The story is amusing, and thought-provoking - if occasionally a little predictable, and repetitive. What make's the show spectacular however is the acting, and the precision with which all of their movements are timed to the live music, AND the animation. Despite their slight ridiculousness, we relate to Robert, Anna, Grandma easily. We warm to them, as they are portrayed with such an endearing simplicity, and they are so wholly believable as people.

The music is catchy, and funny, and overall the show works. There are so many layers to the production, all individually brilliant, but when they come together they transform the theatre, and transport us into another land. A land where Golem rules the show, and the simplicity of eating breakfast, knitting, working, or rehearsing with a punk rock band in your basement all get lost to the corporations. Scarily relevant at a time where Google has begun controlling our taxi rides - our location's to an extent. What is the next step? And where will it end?

#Artyproject - Final Stages

 

Ok before I start, if you aren't aware of the #artyproject it's probably a good idea to catch up on my previous post's or this may all be very confusing! (Intro / Inspiration/ Playlist ) 

Progress

Sooo, is it just me or has time been slipping away from us? Because, last I checked I'd only just sent Maryam the email about joining the Arty Project and now the deadline is just two weeks ago. Scary stuff eh? When I had a little reminder off our Whatsapp group of just exactly how long I had left to go I had a little panic, and decided I ought to get my act together.

So, I made a kind of mini-storyboard thing (again, excuse my terrible drawing - feel free to laugh!) And I have chosen a location, music, and basically come up with the whole idea. I don't want to give anything away at this stage so I won't start describing it to you all. But I know what's going to happen when, what I'm going to be wearing, and basically how it's all (hopefully) going to piece together. The idea behind the film, I mentioned before, is how we are all the same underneath our skin. We are all made of the same blood, bones, muscles and our beauty comes from the function of our body!

What's left! 

 Now you might be thinking 'Oh great, Milli, sounds like you are basically there with the whole thing - why do you even need this update just post the film now!' Well....that is thing, now all I have left to do is film it. But it's kind of the biggest part of it, and I've never really filmed anything properly before so we will have to hope it goes well.

I'm going to put a day aside sometime over the next two weeks, enlist the help of a camera-handy friend and hope I can get it filmed - and edited before the June 4th deadline. If anyone has any advice at this stage it would be much appreciated! I have no idea how long it takes to edit a film like this, but I imagine to get it to what I'm picturing in my head - probably a little while! So I look forward to spending a lot of dark evenings at my desk in the coming weeks!

Time goes by...

I'm going to try my hardest to get it done before the deadline, so I don't let you all down, but if I come across even a tiny bump in the road, I think it might be quite a tall order. But rest assured I am working on it, and there will be a final film up here to show you before the end of June (fingers crossed!)

Wish me luck!

P.s here are the links to the other lovely ladies involved here! Some beautiful work going, across lots of different genres so be sure to give them a read!

Vicky / Zoe / Uli / Clara / Maryam / Sarah / Danielle / Manny / Emma / Annabel/ Jho

My New Favourite Blue!

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Nice weather for it! 

The weather's been a bit all over the place this May in London, and outfit wise I have seemed to get it wrong most days. Jeans and jumpers in 20 degree sun, and bare legs and leather jacket with freshly washed hair and no brolly in 12 hour long torrential downpours! BUT the weekend... on the weekend, I finally got the hang of this checking the forecast in the morning business - or rather looking out the window because I get to sleep in later! (Kind of, I was still quite overdressed on Saturday and got a little hot and bothered on my bus ride!)

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But Sunday, I was heading out for a classic Afternoon Tea, and when I saw the sun was back out and shining down, was quite desperate to wear this beauty of a skirt I picked up a few weeks ago now! It's just the BEST BLUE EVER! It feel's like summer when you wear it, and it makes me feel happy every time I look down, because everything is great when you are wearing cornflower blue, and it doesn't make you look five, or eighty!

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The shoes aren't the best choice, but I really need to invest in some new summer flats as all mine are about 10 years old and don't hold up so well with the walking part of shoe wearing. Some might argue (all people hopefully) that this is the main purpose of shoes, and I didn't want to lie to you all and pretend I'd worn ridiculous shoes around all day when I hadn't because I rarely do that! (I like my feet, and it's nice to be able to feel them!)

Watch out for my Afternoon Tea post coming later on this week! It was pretty damn tasty!

What I Wore

Skirt / & Other Stories, Blouse / River Island, Shoes / Dune, Leather Jacket / All Saints 

Summer activities in London!

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May is my favourite month in the city, for the following reasons:

1. The temperature is just about right so the tubes aren't too sweaty, but you aren't too cold waiting at the bus stop.


2. The evenings are lighter so you don't feel the need to go to bed straight after dinner, and can actually GO OUT after work.


3. We get not one, but TWO bank holiday weekends, and best of all,


4. ALL THE FUN THINGS START HAPPENING!  I did a little round-up for you.

Open air Cinema's. 

There is something pretty exciting about watching a film outside. It's something that you can't do at home unless you have a very impressive set-up so it always feels a little bit special.

There are so many great open-air cinemas in London - and around the country - in the summer months. Even free one's. Last year, I saw the Truman Show at More London for free, sat outside with a view of Tower Bridge, and The Thames behind me and it was bloody well lovely.

There is a great selection now of companies running these kind of events, and venues all over the city, so see if anything takes your fancy.

Check out some of these options: Rooftop film club, The Luna Cinema, Film 4 Summer Screen, Pop-up Screens.

Outdoor Eating/Food Events

Everyone loves a bit of Borough Market all year round, but there is no doubt that Al Fresco dining/(eating on the street) becomes a lot easier when the sun warms up.

Lewisham Model Market has opened in the last few weeks, and I am excited. A disused, and pretty derelict 1950's indoor/outdoor market gets transformed every weekend evening until September for a street-food market like none South East London has ever seen. I went last year, and whilst the food was good, it was a little over priced, and it was reallllyyy busy so hard to find a seat etc. but if you are in the area or don't want to stray far from home it's definitely worth checking out.

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Udderbelly and Wonderground

I have a great love for the Udderbelly team at Southbank. They bring a little bit of the Edinburgh Fest down with them every year (well technical it's before that but you catch my drift.) They have some brilliant stuff going on here. Cabaret's, circus acts, comedy, and theatre. All stuff that's a little bit different, and fresh. Don't miss Sh*t-faced Shakespeare (they perform shakespeare whilst one cast member gets progressively drunk throughout the show) or Showstoppers: The Improvised Musical for a fun and unforgettable night.

Outdoor Theatre

The Globe season starts in April but you have a better chance of avoiding those pesky April showers, if you go slightly later in the season. As a semi-regular Globe visitor I would recommend visiting in the slightly cooler spring months than the heat of Summer. I will never forget standing through Henry VIII for over three hours in 25C and not for good reasons. The shows are almost always excellent.

Similarly, the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre kicks off it's season with Peter Pan from the 14th May. Now I've never seen this version, but if there is flying (it's Peter Pan so I hope there would be) then I imagine it will be pretty magical to see Pan and Wendy flying through real-life tree's.

Well, that should be enough to get you started. Let me know if you check any of my suggestions out! I'm also currently working on a  detailed guide to South East London. So if you have anything you'd like to see go in that please let me know.

Thought of the Week: Confidence, Self-Belief and Positivity.

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So, you may have noticed that I've been absent for a few days. I'd like to tell you that it was because I was really busy, and just didn't have the time - but that really wasn't the case. If I'm honest, I just didn't feel like I could write anything last week. I wasn't happy with anything I tried to write, any topic I came up with or any photographs I took. I then got trapped into a bit of a vicious cycle of negative thoughts, and lost all confidence in myself and my blog.

I'm pretty sure it all started with anxiety over the general election. That was quickly replaced with anxiety about the outcome - and that was then replaced with anxiety about all the stupid people on the Internet who don't seem to understand how democracy works. (Lets move on swiftly because that is another rant for another time). The trigger is not of so much importance in this conversation. But you can read up on my coping strategies for Anxiety here if you would like to.

It's amazing how the tiniest indication of vulnerability can leak into all aspects of someone's life. I went from being concerned about politics to believing I wasn't good enough at just about everything. A small concern can morph so rapidly until eventually a whole week of your life has been wasted worrying about the quality of your Instagram photo's, or comparing yourself to every other person on the internet.

How can confidence decrease so rapidly?

If there was no one to compare myself to, then would I be more content with my life/job/blog? Would I be more confident with it? 

Last week, I had a negative thought about the future prospects for the country and the world and it bred so quickly until every thought I had was negative. I wasn't good enough at my job, my blog, my life because there were other people out there who were more successful than me.

If a person wants to do something, and they believe they can, they are probably much more likely to achieve. But if they don't think there is any point because the world's falling apart anyway or whatever excuse they might be giving, then they are much less likely to even try. There will always be room for improvement,  and without that drive to improve and succeed, life would probably be quite boring.

Maybe we need to compare ourselves to others for motivation? We all need something to aspire to, but we need to make sure our thoughts in relation to the comparison's are positive ones. I think it's time we start viewing each other as inspiration, rather than competition. We are all individual people, we will have individual lives, and even though we may think we want to land at the same destination as someone else, it is highly likely our journey's will be very different. If we are constantly comparing ourselves to each other with the view of it being unachievable we will only be increasing our insecurities. If we stay positive, and believe in ourselves then even when something does go wrong, hopefully, we will be able to move forward more easily, and more successfully than before.

So, again, I don't really know where I'm going with this. But I hope it either helped a little, or made you think. You may well be the most confident, positive person out there - in which case - hopefully you'll just remember that not everyone is, all of the time. So yes, stay positive, believe in yourself and have confidence in your abilities because somebody has to be successful and it may just as well be you!

 

A Summer Reading List

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I've taken up reading. I've never been a big reader and normally, once I start a book I'll either finish it in a day, or not ever. But recently, I've made a few additions to my bookshelf, which if I'm wholly honest has never grown much past my university reading list. These additions have come in various shapes, sizes and forms of literature, but each and every one has contributed to my life in someway quite dramatically, and I thought I ought to share the love.

A grown-up picture book...

Firstly, there's this beautiful hard-back specimen. The exhibition book from Savage Beauty at the V&A (find my review here). I fell in love as soon as I peaked inside, and before I'd even stepped foot in the exhibition. The photography is beautiful, and there is a perfect mix of exhibition images, catwalk shows, behind the scenes shots of McQueen himself, and some of the images that inspired his work in the first place. It was a little pricey, but it's a coffee table book that could last a life-time, and always be a great conversation starter, even amongst those who aren't into fashion.

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How to Build a Girl...

Next up, we have Caitlin Moran's novel 'How to build a girl'. I have loved reading this. So much so, that I've found myself not minding when my plans get cancelled, or my train is delayed - as it means I can tuck myself in bed early, or have an extra ten minutes with Johana and her family on the train.

The book is rude, funny, boundary-pushing and relatable to probably most women out there. I may not have grown up in Wolverhampton, walked around wearing a Top Hat, or found myself sleeping in a rockstar's hotel bath at sixteen, but Caitlin Moran is a genius lady, and somehow makes you feel like you have. If you haven't read this yet, and you want something that can make you cringe, cry, and look like a fool laughing out loud on the train then I would recommend this to you highly!

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The Paris Collection 

I am planning to spend a week in Paris this summer, and have been trying to brush up on my french. I picked up this beautiful phrasebook in Anthropologie - I must admit - mainly for the pretty cover. I have been trying though, and having these book's staring at me reminding me of my trip makes me push myself to revise. I also picked up the Spanish version (again, pretty.) but learning two languages at once is a bit much for anyone I think.

Everyman (again)

I HAD to pick up a copy of the Carol Ann Duffy Everyman script as soon as it was available. I will avoid gushing anymore at the absolute poetic genius of this play-text, as I already did that quite a lot in my review of the play (here). But it's poignant, poetic, funny and swear-y, and I think it's rather good.

For next time...

Now, The Guest Cat I haven't actually read yet! But I've heard a lot of good things (plus - book about cat? yes, please!). This is going to be my next read. Has anyone read it already? I'd love to know your thoughts on it, or any of the others!

#ArtyProject: Playlist

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Hello again lovely friends, you may have heard about a little thing going on called the Arty Project. If it's news to you, I would suggest going back and catching up on my first post here and my update here, if you want to have any idea what the rest of this post is on about!

So, i'm gonna be completely honest with you all here and let you know I've not made huge amounts of progress (read: none) since my last update. When the rest of the Bloggers decided we would all post on Thursday 30th (oops) I was a little panic stricken and kinda forced myself to do some brainstorming.

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Now, lets be honest - this is not the best way to be creative is it - however the deadline is helpful, it forces you to start thinking, which in turn leads to some ideas. Whether they are good or not doesn't matter to start with, they are something to work with, something to develop.  They can grow into something better.

So I (finally) came to a decision about the meaning of my dance-film. It will explore the beauty of the body, underneath the surface. The strength of the muscles, bones, organs and blood that keeps it all going. Underneath are skin, we are mostly built the same. There are of course many variations but we have the same skeletons, respiratory systems, cardiac systems, muscles groups, enzymes and fluids. Underneath our skin we are all beautiful in the same way. I think the way the human body functions is an incredible, impressive and almost incomprehensible thing.

I am still planning on using some of the things I talked about in my inspo post as props etc. Not sure how yet but we will get there in the next month hopefully! (ahhhhh!!!!)

So in the meantime I've been thinking about a soundtrack to this dance film. I want some silence in it, maybe some sound-effects of heart beats, breathing etc. but I also want music. so i've put together a little playlist for you all to get an idea of the type of tracks I might use. Have a listen, and, as always, I'd love to know your thoughts!

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Don't forget to check out all the other bloggers involved too!

Vicky / Zoe / Uli / Clara / Maryam / Sarah / Danielle / Manny / Emma / Annabel/ Gemma / Jho

April Beauty Favourites

It's that time again - a beauty summary for April. I've been a little adventurous this month, and I'm feeling rather proud of myself for getting some whole new types of products in my routine!

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Vintage Cosmetics Brushes:  

Now I'm not a brushes kind of girl, I like a minimal look when it comes to my make-up, and I find it quicker to use a finger to blend my concealer than go to any effort washing brushes. I've had the same blusher brush for about 10 years, pretty much unwashed for its entire lifetime (Ahem). I'm just not good at brushes.

But then I saw these lovely, pretty things on Georgina's blog Fox on the Hunt, and I just really wanted them in my life.

I'm so glad I got them because, not only is the pale pink/silver combo making my dressing table look all kinds of great; they are also pretty much the softest things I've ever had touch my face in all my life. I will have to update you on whether or not I clean them - or they just get relegated to the bottom of my make-up bag in exchange for my much easier to wash hands, but I really hope it is the former!

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Bobbi Brown Blush: 

Now, this one technically may be cheating, as this blusher is not mine, but my mum's. But let me tell you it is great (evidenced by the fact that I steal it every morning). It is Bobbi Brown's in 'Nude Peach' and it is a great natural shade for anyone pale like me, who also likes a natural look and is a bit afraid of contouring for fear of looking like a Picasso! It's not too shimmery, and it would be hard to put too much on. Basically it just helps make me look a little bit more alive, and a little less 'are you feeling ok? You look very pale'.

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Lush Eau Roma Water Toner:

Now on top of never really owning brushes - I've also never really owned a toner before. I don't believe in buying things if you aren't sure of their use, and to be honest I've never really understood what the point of a toner was. But, when I was perusing the new, incredible Lush Flagship store on Oxford Street, (go, go, go!) I came across this bad-boy!

I read - 'calms sensitive skin' and 'aromatherapy' and then the very short ingredient list and decided it was for me. Anything that can calm my skin and my nerves is going to have to make it into my all time favourite things on this planet. Not only that, but it actually works as well. My redness and rosacea are almost gone, and I have never used a product that worked this well so quickly, and without causing some kind of pimple break-out or strange rash!

The lavender scent and I think also the action of spritzing water onto my face is actually quite relaxing, and awakening (obviously if you spritz any kind of water in someone's face it will awaken them so that's probably nothing to do with the formula).Now to be honest, I still don't really know what a toner is meant to do - but I like this product, and as it's under a fiver, I think I can forgive that!

So there we have it, my April favourites are in my opinion some real hum-dinger's! Have you tried any of them?

Shout out to May's Vogue as well for all the pretty pictures!

Show of the Month: Everyman

Everyman at The National Theatre

 This week, I booked a seat for a preview for the hotly anticipated Everyman at the National Theatre. I took my £15 Travelex seat in the back row and watched with anticipation as a cleaner swept the stage for a good half an hour before the auditorium closed. Everyman was written in the late 15th Century, a morality play that has been adapted many times in the last few centuries, and has most recently been re-written for today's audience by Carol Ann Duffy.

I must say, she has done an incredible job. The script could be compared to Shakespeare the way it combines poetry, humour, and profound metaphor to the perfect balance. It is a masterpiece of writing, and I feel confident in saying so, as I was backed up by the queue of people waiting in the National's bookshop after the play to pick up a copy of the text - only to be disappointed as it is not available until the previews end.

My favourite line is still clear in my mind three days later - and no I didn't write it down:

'My mother used to watch the news, then the weather, and I have watched the weather become the news' 

It is spoken whilst money is being blown into the audience, and around the theatre, by a giant fan, as journalists struggle to stay standing in the background. Everyman (the protagonist) lies at the front desperate to find something, or someone to help him defend himself at the doors of heaven, as death looms behind him.

The play itself was great at times, the message was strong and clear - never subtle, but it doesn't need to be. At the end of the day, it is timeless, as relevant to today's world as any other. And I suppose if it wasn't, the National wouldn't be programming it. The message is - in essence - that 'everyman' is selfish, and puts his wants and desires above good-deeds. The play asks whether it is only through death that we appreciate life - and tells us that regret is often the most prominent emotion of all at that time.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (of 12 years a Slave fame) gives an impressive performance as Everyman. The party-boy lad side of his personality is believable, his regret and fear sometimes a little less so. But we aren't supposed to sympathise, we are supposed to recognise the flaws in the character so we can address them in ourselves.

The images throughout are strong, and demonstrative in a Brechtian way.  After a slightly long and tedious opening party scene, we quickly learn to realise that it is the images that are important. This play isn't about a story, character or individual performance. The play is just a message, and it is an important one. It isn't subtle because it shouldn't be, there isn't time to be subtle. Seeing a personification of Good Deeds lying, sick and dying,  on a bed of rubbish, is something that will stay with me for while.

We are all responsible for this world, and each other. Be kind, be generous, share your love with those who need it, and those who love you. Do what you can, whenever you can. And if you aren't sure why - go and see Everyman!

Everyman will be at The Olivier Theatre from 29th April

A View from The Thames

Shaken, not Stirred

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This week I was invited to a James Bond themed boat party on the Thames. I mean, it's not exactly the sort of thing I would normally go to, but since I'm trying to be a bit more adventurous I put my glad-rags on and journeyed up to Temple pier to board the Golden Jubliee.

It's pretty fun to get dressed up and go and make new friends! I had a lovely time, and met some beautiful new people (Shout out to Jaye for the outfit shots). AND I got to bring out one of those 'only worn once to a special occasion' outfits and get some more wear out of it! Huzzah! There was prossecco involved too, which is never a bad thing, and I even got the chance to learn roulette at the mini casino that was set up on board. (We played with fake money luckily as I wasn't very good!) There was also a magician, and a little bit of dancing at the end of the evening.

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Dress and shoes both old all saints numbers. 

 A New Perspective

I'm rather glad I decided to go, as seeing my home city from a new perspective really helped to re-ignite my love for ole Mr London at a time when it was beginning to wain a little. I know the whole 'if your tired of London your tired of life' saying is often batted around at people like me, but if I'm honest, I am a little tired of the extortionate rents, travel costs, low wages, and general globalisation that's bringing my beautiful city to it's knees.

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But when you see it like this. You can't help but feel proud, and honoured to be surrounded by such beautiful architecture, and I'm glad to be lucky enough to have access to all the cultural joys of London.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world...yet, anyway. If you want to catch this glimpse of the city you can hop on a Thames Clipper quite reasonably and easily, and stand out on the deck, where the views are just as epic, but a lot more frequent...as James Bond parties don't roll around that often do they!

Thank you to Ladbrokes and BBB for the invite. 

ASOS Wishlist

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I mean...payday isn't good when you are trying not to shop! But at least I restrained myself a little, and instead of buying just put together a little wishlist to tempt all you lot instead (muahahaha).

Dunga-Love = Black Shorts / Denim Dress

I've really got a thing for a dunga-dress at the moment! (although top-left is technically shorts). 

Co-ords = Sailor Print / Blue Wonder

I am also a bit obsessed with Co-ords right now. This sailor print skirt/top combo's print is just SO great. The blue shirt/trouser-ness - well - frankly just sums up how cool I wish I was.

Suede Biker Chic = Suede Jacket / Bandana?!?!?

The suede jacket is by Mango, and frankly needs no justification. The bandana is a little random, but I think it would look great with a stripy T and my ripped Mom Jeans.

So there we have it! What do you think of my choices? Had any great ASOS buys recently?

Thought of the week: Staying creative when working full-time

As I've kind of been doing this anyway, I thought I'd make a little feature out of my slightly ramble-y posts on life. 

 Life, eh?

It's pretty blooming difficult to get your cake and eat it too. However - I think it probably is possible. I mean, I'm not saying I've figured it out yet - but there are some people out there who have!

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Jobs

We all need to pay the bills, and most of us will worry about how we are going to make sure we can. Now - I don't know about you, but I find it is almost impossible to make a stable living working as a performer, or artist of any kind, without taking on some kind of extra work. I'm lucky enough to still work within my industry when doing the 9-5 but before I got where I am I had a string of part-time jobs that I found so boring they brought on full-on anxiety, and panic attacks. Not really a good fit for me, huh?

Some people are able to work part-time jobs they aren't that attached to in order to have flexible hours and be able to run off to audition at the drop of a hat. I however, am not able to do this. Perhaps my motivation isn't strong enough.

It's hard though, whatever job you are in, to stay creative and keep practicing your art when you are short of time thanks to work commitments, and are unlikely to be able to fully commit to any opportunities that would enable you to keep both your job, and your art afloat.

At the moment I'm happy where I am, and thanks to the Arty Project (which you can catch up on here and here) I am (sort of) able to get a bit of both in my life. I'd rather feel stable than go back to feeling like I was wasting away behind a till - which is generally what most of my anxiety stemmed from.

To be honest, I don't really know where this is going now, because I don't really have any answers or solutions for the problem. All I will say to any fellow artists reading this is that we all need to try and keep our creative juice's flowing as much as possible. It will help keep us happy, and it will stop us resenting our jobs so quickly.

Do you have any thoughts on this topic? I'd really hear what you think about this issue?

The Blue Leather Jacket

You may have noticed the so-called 'heatwave' of 7th March - you may not remember it however, as it was so freaking long ago. Well this post has been sat in my drafts since then as I've been too scared to post it.

Anyway, on that day I did a lot of rather summery activities in what was - well - not actually quite that summery yet weather.

I didn't mind of course as it gave me the perfect opportunity to whack out this bad boy of a leather jacket that I've been desperate to wear since I spent far to much money on it back in January.

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The opportunity has only presented itself once before this day, back right after I bought it, and was too excited not to wear it. Frankly I ended up pretty blooming freezing whilst walking along the River Thames. It has since been relegated to a very visible hanger where I can stare at it often and dream of warmer days, where I can walk the streets of London in all it's blue leather glory.

Hopefully this newfangled thing we are having at the moment called 'Spring' marks the start of a whole season of blue leather jacket wearing bliss. Huzzah!!

In the meantime - I promise to practice my posing to save us all from the awkward 'I'm not used to this and feel uncomfortable' shots.

Leather Jacket: All Saints, Shirt: Equipment (Similar Here) Jeans: Topshop, Sunglasses: Ray Ban (Similar Here)

#ArtyProject - Inspo

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Arty Inspirations. 

So a week on from my first post on the #ArtyProject (which you can find here) today, all participants are posting an update on their projects.

I mean...I'm probably not as far along as some of the other lovely artists but I have had far too many ideas to get my head around, and pin down to just one at this stage. We all work differently right? I guess my creative process is just a little bit of a mind-mess right now...

Anyway, I thought I'd try and give you an insight into that little mind-mess of mine by sharing some of the things that I've looked at and thought were beautiful this week. (beauty is theme - FYI)

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 Empty Glass Bottles 

There is something about an empty glass bottle that is just quite fascinating. Sure the big one is a pretty perfume bottle, and quite obviously beautiful. But - to go a little pretentious -  I find it interesting to think about all the things the bottle might have had in it at some point.

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Images

A postcard is possibly the most classic inspiration tool there ever was. I like these one's for the simple blue background,  and Frida Kahlo because it is a) Frida Kahlo and b) It is Frida Kahlo in a sparkly hat. I think that needs no more explanation.

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Journals

These are a few of my old choreographic journals from various past projects which I've been looking through in an attempt to get my head back in it's dance-y zone and also get some movement ideas. P.s you are free to laugh at my ridiculous stick men drawings.

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Skulls

Bare with me while I go a bit deep into my head here. These skulls are made of precious stones, they are made to look pretty. but they are skulls. Skulls we associate with death, and fear. But maybe we should just associate skulls with our heads? Because, that's like a tiny purple version of what we all look like under our faces you know...and face's are the place on a human with what beauty is most associated...?

Ok I'm gonna stop there before it gets a bit weird up in here (oh I think probably a little too late). Anyway, so that's a few items that may or may not influence my final piece, but they are certainly getting me thinking about all the initial ideas right now. I guess at the moment I am somewhere around thinking about why we subconsciously categorise certain things as good - why we like to have things we find attractive around us, and what is it that makes things attractive in the first place? But I basically need to find out if this is interesting enough to explore further - my questions may all be answered by google in 5 minutes time....we shall have to wait and see.

Check out the other ladies posts here

Vicky / Zoe / Uli / Clara / Maryam / Sarah / Danielle / Manny / Emma / Annabel

And if you want to follow my #ArtyProject Pinterest board where I'm getting lots of ideas you can do so here.

Your Vote Matters - 5 reasons why you should use it!

Change

You have basically one chance every five years to affect change.  Here are a few reasons why you might want to register to vote (and then subsequently vote on May 7th).

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1. You can make a difference.  -  If all the young people who don't vote did - we would have the power to change the outcome of the election. Your one vote may seem insignificant, but if everyone thinks like that - then a huge swathe of people who aren't voting could be changing the country's political landscape. What if there is only one or two votes in the race, and you don't vote....


2. A vote is a privilege in this world  - It shouldn't be, but unfortunately there are still millions of people who do not get to exercise the right to vote in a fair election. Show all those who have fought, and continue to fight for their right to vote, some respect, gratitude, and solidarity by using yours.


3. You deserve to be counted -  No one will know who you voted for but they will know you voted. They will know that you care about the country and how it's governed. That puts pressure on politicians to act with the interests of the many, rather than 'the few who bothered to turn up and vote'.


4. You and your opinion's matter  - Don't let anyone tell you they don't. Whoever you choose to vote for, let yourself be counted, and let your voice/vote be heard.


5. You won't regret it - If you vote for someone you believe in you can be proud knowing you stood by your convictions. You may regret it if you don't vote and someone you can't stand is running the country come May. Like I said, we have one chance every 5 years to elect our MP's, and low turn-outs are proven to benefit extremist parties!

You have until 20th April (Monday) to register to vote and you can do so using the below link. Registering does not commit you to voting, but if you don't do it you won't be able to vote full stop.

• Register to vote HERE. (It only takes a minute).


• If you want to vote but can't decide who for, try this policies over personalities quiz HERE - it's pretty interesting to take the personalities out of the equation!

Do you vote? What are you reason's for turning up, or not turning up on polling day?

Coping with Stress and Anxiety

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Life these days

Life these day's is stressful. We are surrounded by propaganda about how the NHS is going to be shut down, we'll never have a house or a good job, and we will be forced to work into our mid seventies -  that's if we don't all die in a nuclear war, or get taken over by Isil before then.

The generation just entering work have been hit hard by the recession, and now will bare the brunt of the aftermath for the foreseeable future. Our live's and our futures are uncertain, and this causes increased anxiety around everyday life.  I thought I'd share a few of the things I do to help me get to grips with stress and anxiety.

Goals

This is a big one for me. My new years resolution was to make weekly goals for myself. (Not to brag or anything, but I'm still doing it - waheyy!) They are normally small, achievable things. For example -make my bed every morning - which is something that has probably only happened twice ever before this year (ahem!). Although that may not sound like a huge life-goal, I feel a lot better for having a tidy-room, and now that I've made it a habit, it feels strangely like a big achievement.  More often than not my achievement's that week will be much greater than what I set out to do. If not, at least I'm making my bed every morning like the real life adult that I am!

Yoga and Mindfulness

There's been a lot of hype around Mindfulness recently - living in the present rather than the future to decrease anxiety. Most of it is based around meditations, and I find the easiest way to practice this is as part of a yoga programme. That way, I still feel productive as I'm exercising, I'm getting endorphins to aid stress-relief and happiness, and I find it just comes more naturally as a result of focusing on the yoga postures.

To Do Lists

The satisfaction of crossing of an item isn't the only thing To-do list's are useful for. I often keep several going at a time. one for work, one for personal life, one for chores, one for blogging etc. It helps to keep things separate, meaning I get more balance if I prioritise 1 or 2 things from each list. I also like to add normal things that I do anyway, like 'shower' or 'have breakfast'. This way, even when you haven't got a lot of work on, if you are feeling down about it or have little energy, you can still get the satisfaction of that little tick next to an item on your list.

Does anybody else use these tools? I'd love to know if you have any coping strategies you'd like to share?  

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#ArtyProject

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What it is

A slightly different type of post today! I am very excited to be getting involved in the #ArtyProject!

It was an idea thought up by the marvellous Zoe and Vicky, who, after missing being able to get creative and put their talents to good use, decided to collaborate. They got a group of bloggers together and came up with this! The Arty Project!

How it works

Basically we will all have two months to produce a finished project (using the term 'finished' loosely - as we can all set our own goals and targets for how far we want to be at the end of those two months). There is a theme - and as we are all bloggers - 'beauty' was deemed most appropriate for the first batch of work produced! (Batch is a terrible word to describe art - I apologise!) We will post updates every two weeks on our progress. (hopefully!)

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My Idea

As the above pic suggests, I will be utilising my skills as a dancer in this project, and making my first attempt to produce a short dance film. (eek...) Now, I may well only get as far as the storyboard by the June 4th deadline for the first Arty Project - but I am very keen to get going! (Although inspiration and subject matter escape me at present).

How you can get involved

This project is open to anyone who wants to get involved, whether you are an experienced artist or just want to try something new! Like I mentioned already, the art form is completely open and free, meaning you can be as creative as you like with what you make! If you want to get involved, just contact any of the bloggers involved and we will answer any Q's, and can put you in touch with the group! Check out my contact page for my deets!

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You can check out the other bloggers involved below! I'm super excited to see what everyone comes up with, and be able to watch their process and progress on their blogs! What insight - aren't we lucky!!

Zoe / Vicky / Annabel / Danielle / Maryam / Clara / Sarah / Uli / Manny

Five New Beauty Staples

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My first beauty post

I've been putting the same five things on my face for a while now - and I just can't get enough of them! As it's my first beauty post, I thought I'd let you know about a few of my new staples. [embed]https://www.flickr.com/photos/129641544@N07/16402893953/in/photostream/[/embed]

Eyes

There's been a lot of hype about Roller Lash recently - so I won't go into too much detail. All I'll say is that I agree with all of it. (unless there is someone out there that doesn't like it in which case - no).

I've also just recently started wearing liquid eyeliner again - I wasn't such a fan of my last purchase which was the Rimmel Scandaleyes. It ran out in about 2 days, and had no staying power - and it kinda put me off buying a replacement to avoid the disappointment. This Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner has completely restored my faith and love for the stuff. It stays all day, is easy to apply, the line isn't too thick - and best of all - it's £2.99!

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Lips

The Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in La Petillante is my new go-to colour. It's a gorgeous reddy-pink, with a matte finish, and is a great alternative to red for Spring. If i'm completely honest, I don't wear it everyday. It would be hard to wear such a bold colour everyday if you aren't a lipstick person. (whatever a lipstick person may be?!) But as I am loving this colour so much, I thought i'd include it in my staples anyway!

Skin

Now I'm a Dermalogica girl through and through. My skin is hyper-sensitive - even a whiff of foundation and my redness inflames. I recently made a few new purchases within their range and this Ultracalming Serum Concentrate was by far my favourite. It works wonders as both a primer and a moisturizer and it's done wonders for my redness. I will post about the rest of the range soon if you are interested, as I feel some of their products are a little lacking in some areas so I wouldn't go out and buy the whole range without testing it first on your skin.

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Nails

This is from Barry M's new Quick Dry Range. Colour - pitstop. And no I don't have to look that up because so many people have already asked me what colour it is because it is PERFECT! It's not quite grey, not quite beige. Yes, I know that sounds weird and not that appealing and it even looks a bit weird in the bottle, but it really is a great nail colour, particularly for the transition into Spring.

Have you tried any of these products before? I'd love to know what you think and what products you use regularly? 

Roller Lash / Fast Stroke / Chanel Lip / Dermalogica Serum  / Barry M Pit Stop