It seems as though I'm always running behind...

But then, perhaps I was getting ahead of myself? Until I get more used to blogging, I think I need to stop expecting great (and by that I mean to-a-tight-schedule) things from myself. I will start on my Japan Tour posts soon, though. I can't believe it's already been over three months since I came back!

The last few weeks have been quite the adventure. I've learnt a lot since I last posted:

1. Crochet, at last! Granny square blanket here I come!
2. A lot of make-up techniques at college, including old-age make-up and hair knotting for wigs. The motion is almost identical to crochet, so it was handy I'd started that granny square after all! 
3. Many things about myself, through meeting someone else (for whom I finally used the sari-silk yarn I've been hoarding since the early summer, too).
4. That my life is moving very, scarily, quickly, and I've got to find a better balance of my time if I'm to enjoy myself and succeed in...whatever it is I'm trying to do.

Apple-picking in the autumn air:
one of those stop-and-breathe moments.

Right now, I'm awfully excited for Christmas, no matter how far behind I am on making gifts. I can spread the festive cheer through January, right? ;) With the winter we've been forecast this year, I'm sure a little extension of the warmth and goodwill would be appreciated.

How are you all enjoying your respective changes in the weather? Looking forward to any special days this winter?

-Shaun x

Busy, Busy, Busy!

It's coming up to half term, so I've been all caught up in college work. I've got a couple of things to share with you today, though!

Firstly, some vintage items that have been gifted to me over the past couple of weeks! A 'War of the Worlds' record from my nan, and an old videocamera my dad bought for me at a charity shop. It still had some film in it! I wish I had a means to play the record, but if I ever get the chance to listen to it I will.

Secondly, I remembered the big kimono silk bundle I picked up in Takayama, and I've had a couple of ideas for things to make with it. They'll be going on my etsy when it's up and running, so watch this space!

Hopefully the first of my Japan Tour posts will be up next week. I'm very excited to share that with you! It was such an amazing trip.

Have a great weekend!

Time flew away from me...

It must have flown north for the summer.

Hey there! Sorry I've been gone for a while, I really didn't mean to take so long away from this blog, especially when it's still so empty and new. But I have returned, and my life is completely different from when I left. Some snapshots of the last few months for you:

• I finished my exams and now I'm at college! I'm studying Production Arts, i.e. costume, makeup, hair, and prop-making for film and theatre. It's varied, interesting, and so much fun! I'm really enjoying it and can see myself pursuing one of the fields afterward, so I couldn't be happier about that.
• I am finally knitting again! It's so lovely to be back doing what I love. The sewing machine and needles have been stitching again too, and my jewellery tools have emerged from their box. There's some cool stuff coming out of the end of my tinkering, so watch this space because...
• I've gotten myself an Etsy account! I'm hoping to set up shop sometime soon to start using up my wide range of supply stashes, and hopefully get myself a bit of extra money so I can...buy more stuff for my supply stashes, probably. Heh.
• I went on a two week tour of Japan this summer! I can't wait to tell you all about it, so I will be making regular posts once our photos are organised, and I can show you all the amazing things we got up to on that most wonderful of holidays.
• Oh, and I got that pixie cut:

Photo by Rheanna Winter

Autumn is rolling in and I'm looking forward to pulling on my beloved jumpers, crafting, and picking this blog back up. I'm going to try and post once a week or more from now on. 

Has anything exciting happened in your life over the summer?

-Shauna

Fair Weather (and) Friends

June is being kind so far this year. Today, I spent a lovely day out in Hyde Park for my friend's birthday. The weather was just right - sunny, and around 18'C, which is perfectly warm for me. Get above 20 degrees and I will start to melt!

Not Hyde Park, but my garden,
because I didn't bring a camera.
What sort of blogger am I?!

Since I'd spent all of yesterday cooped up in my room, poring over revision posters and staring longingly out into my garden, I rather dressed up for my London outing today, in one of my lovely new summer dresses and a trusty felt hat. I even wore heels! Well, wedges. And I did have to change into flats to walk on the grass. But A for effort, right? Hehe!

(For the record, I know I'm quite terrible at posing for photos as myself. If I'm in cosplay then I'm fine, which is pretty funny considering most people are more self-conscious in costumes and wigs than a pretty dress. But then I'm odd like that.)

Dress - Rosa Rosa; Hat - Camden market; Socks - Primark; Shoes - Ravel

I adore this dress, it's so cute and easygoing! The wedges were new in a box in my mum's room; she had a big box of shoes she'd ordered that she never got to wear, and I've finally looked through and taken some to wear myself. I tended to avoid it after she died, but now it can be nice to wear something of hers every once in a while.

Cardigan - New Look; Sunglasses - charity shop!

Is it weird that I like the dappled light in this photo? Oh darling garden, how I'll miss you when we move. So many trees and flowers!

And of course I used my new Star Trek bag! I'm really rather in love with it. It'll make a great knitting bag, too, when I can start on my projects again. What I don't love so much is my hair, but I'm finally getting my longed-for pixie cut in three weeks' time. I've been convinced to go rainbow-hued. I'll miss my beloved unnatural redheaded-ness, but it'll be good fun to experiment with different colours.

Hopefully my face wasn't too awkward in these photos. I must invest in a better quality digital camera soon. Have you all been having nice weather where you are, too?

Thrifty Friday?

I should never be allowed into charity shops. I will end up buying bagfuls of stuff, adding to my crafty tool-set and excitedly stocking up that Home of My Own looming in the distant future. Sometimes I feel a little silly for that, but hopefully it'll all work out in my favour in the end. And if not, it was only a few pounds, right? Hehe!

As I go on little charity shop raids pretty regularly, I thought it might be nice to have a weekly feature of the cute and interesting things I pick up. 

This week's a bit of a bumper-issue. After a quick jaunt to my local RSPCA last week, I went to visit relatives and ended up on an expedition to the many charity shops in Chichester. (I may have fallen desperately in love with their Cath Kidston store that day. Those fabrics!) So here's some photos of all I acquired this last week. The background for most of these is one of the gorgeous yellow gingham curtains I picked up for £5 - they're huge, and perfect for the patchwork quilt I'll be starting in the summer!

More photos below the cut!

Sunshine & Showers: A Nervous Necklace Post

Maybe it's the bright mornings, or the magnolia tree in full bloom outside my bedroom window, but it seems all the nice weather we've been having has been just the kick I needed to start this blog. It's really exciting to take my first steps on this new adventure, although I admit that I half-planned a dozen posts as I built up the nerve - but you've got to start somewhere, right? So, starting!

Photo by Rheanna Winter

I've been wanting to share this lovely umbrella necklace from Ivy Label Boutique since Easter Sunday, and now the sun has finally come out of hiding I had a chance to get a decent photo of it. In this photo I'm wearing the rather darling Rambling Rose dress from Joe Browns.

The Easter market where I bought the necklace was such a sweet way to start the day (followed by an egg hunt in the freezing cold with all my little cousins!) and now I would really like to find some craft markets near where I live. Guess I'll have to look around...