Snow time!

I have to admit, most of the year I grumble about living in England and it's blase weather, but recently it's been snowing up a storm and that makes me happy. I like extremes- give me searing hot sunshine or snow flakes galore. It's caused a lot of issues travel wise, but it's nice to think around the country a lot of families are sitting on the sofa together, snowed in, by the fire looking out and watching the snow fall instead of the TV.

Christmas time is coming up and I cannot wait to give out my presents (especially the one I've handmade for my boyfriend...), eat waaay too many chocolates and watch terribly Christmas movies like Home Alone. Then after Christmas come New Years- my favourite time of year, time to wipe that slate and draw plans for the coming year. I'm going into next year blind. Thailand then.....who knows. This terrifies me and exhilarates me at the same time. Just gotta walk into the unknown with courage and optimism. BRING IT ON 2010.

What an Adventure

As some of you may know, I started this 'limbo' blog while I was stuck between finishing university, travelling and getting the career I want- travelling being the main cause of my limbo status! Obviously travelling costs money, and that is an issue these days isn't it.... so I've changed my ideal of 'travelling' from a 6 month around the world extravaganza to a one month adventure in Thailand (until financial conditions improve!), and I'm officially leaving on the 4th of Feb 2010..... and I could not be more excited!

To stoke the fires of anticipation I found these beautiful images via http://www.amanda-thomas.blogspot.com/ (which is fast becoming my favourite blog out there), these images are from a project called 'Drinking out of the freckled cup' (http://www.freckledcup.com/) which is showcasing "the beauty of people, light, warmth, color, lack of color, skin, touch, mountains, exploration, and most things in between." and one of it's features is travel. Here are my favourites....

Looking Back

Hello everyone, todays blog is dedicated to my amazing grandparents and great grandparents:)

My grandparents came to visit this weekend, but unfortunately I've managed to get ill (again!) so couldn't see them, (they're not well themselves and about to go to a nursing home for a respite so didn't want to give them any nasty bugs!). However I did get to see an incredible scrapbook my grandmother brought to show us. The book is full of photographs that my great grandparents took- I never met my great grandparents, but looking through their images I wish I had. I find it really grounding to look back and see a simpler way of life, and that's exactly what these pictures represent.

Here are some of my favourites, hope you like....

Milk Toof

This blog totally made my day....

http://mymilktoof.blogspot.com/

Simple things hehe.....

More prettyness

Another quick list of things appeasing my eyes and ears at the moment.....


BLOGS:

• http://bleubirdvintage.typepad.com/

A gorgeous blog packed with beautiful images, fashion, interiors and lots of lists of inspirations- just nice to look at :)

• http://thehymnforthecigarettes.blogspot.com/

I've mentioned Annette Pehrson before in my blog, here is her own blog full of her otherworldly photography. Check out her official site too: http://www.annettepehrsson.se/

• http://www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

Similar to Face Hunter- a street style blog which will inspire your wardrobe daily.

• http://ilikenicethings.blogspot.com/
  

Does what it says on the tin....she likes nice things and shares these with the world- and so far I LOVE her taste. Everything from photography, fashion, music, film, art, interiors....she's got it covered.

MUSIC:

• 'Taken by Trees' -(you may notice I discovered these guys on one of my new fav blogs!) Listening to them now and loving every second, so different. Especially like their cover of 'Sweet Child of Mine' which I'm sure is on an advert at the moment...

• Glen Hansard- If any of you have seen the wonderful film 'Once', this is the main character and I am officially in love with his voice. The soundtrack is fantastic and I've also discovered other songs by him on spotify including a cover of Justin Timberlakes 'Cry me a River'.

PHOTOGRAPHY:

• http://ardenwray.com/

Just beautiful images! Have a peek.

GENERAL THINGGGS:

• http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp

Have read so much about this shop hitting UK shores, and looking at it's websites I can see why- I would like to purchase everything in here. Please and thank you.

Corr, what beauts. That'll keep ya going :D

Travel Sick

Having an incredibly blah day today. Awoke with great intentions of gym and productiveness on my day off. Instead I craweled onto my sofa with the cat as the strangest nausea took over. To take my mind off it I read my latest copy of Elle, but this only made things worse. I was travel sick without moving. Every sentence I read hurt my head. My vision was blurry and I couldn't see the subtitles on the wierd french film on TV.


I blame the darkness and drearyess of this particular friday the 13th- it's pitch black at 5:00 PM. The rain has lazily fallen all day. Stress can do funny things to you I guess. Worry is my new friend- worried for my family, for my future. But I know the darkened mood is only for today- everyone needs the odd blah day to swim in their own pity before picking themselves up, dusting off the panic and getting on with life. I spent a good chunk of my teenage life down, which is why I never slip under for too long. It's a waste of time. Tomorrow I will wake up, put on an outfit with structure and stomp into work to smile as customers shout in my face.


After a whole day of feeling 'urghh' I'm spending my evening cheering myself up. Here's how.

• Discovering new websites/blogs such as:
  http://www.sandrajuto.com/blog/
  http://www.ilovethatphoto.net/
  http://www.wornjournal.com/html/

(I want to live in Sandra Juto's room--->)

• Painting my nails hot pink.

• Reading my new book of short stories about music and the night, 'Nocturnes' by Kazuo Ishiguro

• Lying in the bath until my fingers prune

• Re-reading lovey dovey texts from my lover

• Looking into this whole etsy store thing, website to buy beautiful handmade things like this:

(http://www.etsy.com/profile.php?user_id=63336)

• And of course listening to pretty music like 'She and Him' (Zooey Deschanel's band) http://www.myspace.com/sheandhim

So with all that in mind, I best be off to relax rejuvenate and be re-born into myself again tomorrow :)

Letters to you

I have always loved letters, even as a troubled teen I still found time to write letters to my then best friend talking about latest crushes and cliquey gossip. I even wrote a letter to my first boyfriend telling him how much I cared about him- I just find these things easier to put into writing then to say it out loud. Letters give me time to construct thoughts rather than blurt them out during a conversation.



So I was really pleased to find the love letter to still be alive and well (albeit in a new modern guise) through the website: http://letterstocrushes.com/ (which, by the way, I found through a fellow blogger who also appreciated the notion!)



Here are some letters I have a crush on (har har)




'you,

i like when we sit next to each other and your leg fits perfectly against mine. i like when our feet bump and we don’t apologize. i like this comfort. i like this closeness. i like you.

— me'
　

'J,

I didn’t think lending pens was special until you lent me yours.

— K'
　

'Awkward boy,

Wanna be awkward, together?

— Awkward girl'
　

'pretty girl,

your eyes
your eyes
your eyes

— shy girl'
　

'You,

1.You’re adorable (especially with your glasses)
2.Don’t be jealous. They don’t have what you have.
3.Could you play me a song?
4.Maybe we can share a rain walk someday. Or a sunset.
5.I think I like you.

— Me'




Love it. With the thought of letters on the brain I wanna write a few quickies to those I love;




(Boyfriend)


You have changed my luck from the moment I met you, I cannot thank you enough for giving me the courage to love. I hate to see your eyes turn sad and only hope I can make them smile today and for years to come. I love you more than this letter can say and hope you know I wanna be your monkey head forever.





(Sister)

You have become my best friend and the only one to put up with my tough love techniques.... I know things look hazy and grey now but I promise you it won't turn out like that. You will pick yourself up and dust off the dickheads in your life and go on cleansed and happy. You will see the world again and meet someone who lifts you rather than drags you under. (Love you slag bag).





(Mum and Dad)

You are too nice for your own good, and I'm sorry for everything that's happening at the moment. I hope you never doubt your skills as parents as I haven't met better (and I've met em all!!). I only hope the future changes for all of us.




(The Girls)

I miss each one of you today, but am so happy you are all living your dreams. I know I don't see you as much as I should, but I also know what we have as a group runs deeper than that. You have all enlightened me in different ways and I can't wait for us to grow into old cat ladies together.

In need of prettyness

So I've finally caught my first cold of the winter.... I'm sat at home feeling gross and caughing all over my cat, (lucky creature). To cheer myself up I decided to have a look at all my usual blogs which I stalk daily (the list of which is to your right --->) and I found some newbies! Here's a quick list:

• http://www.amanda-thomas.blogspot.com/


• http://lookbook.nu/


• http://stephaniecrowe.devote.se/


• http://www.sarahhermans.com/


• http://www.wherethelovelythingsare.com/


• http://notebookdoodles.blogspot.com/

Most of them are simply about beautiful things, whether that's images, clothing, interiors or just lovely quotes.

They have reminded me of my love for photography and finding beauty in everyday things. I took photography at college and even got a digital SLR for my graduation present, and since then I have used it, (as you'll have noticed from my previous photographic posts), but I don't feel I've used it to it's full potential. When heading off to uni I genuinely thought about doing photography instead of writing, but was too lazy to do the foundation year. I'm pleased with my decision as writing has always been my first love, but now I've got this urge to look up photography courses and teach myself to take pictures as amazing as the people in these blogs.

I hope one day I will, because a beautiful image can make you feel better, even when you've got a nasty case of 'man' flu.

Here's a cool one from Sarah Hermans:

The Day Mummy Gave me Away

A lil micro fiction for you inspired by something I saw on the bus to work this morning.....



The Day Mummy Gave Me Away:
　
It's a cold and drippy sort of day. Mummy and me are waiting for the bus and I cough and sneeze at the chilly air. She pulls my rainbow scarf around me roughly and pats my head to hard. The big blue and gold bus finally turns the corner to pick us up. I like buses you see, because they are big and the chairs are high. I feel like a proper grown up in those chairs, I do. I jump a little and dance as we get on, I can't wait to jump on the leathery chair!!

"Shut up Eloise, stop jumping around!!"

She gave me a smelly look. I hate when she does that.


"Bless her"

says the bus driver.


"Bless her? She's a bloody nightmare, you have her if ya want!"

The two grown ups laugh and the driver man shouts,


"Alright then I will Hahahaha"

And that was when I realised mummy was giving me away to the bus driver. My mouth went downwards and my bottom lip wibbled. But then I looked at my new daddy and decided it wouldn't be so bad. He was a big fat man with a curly white beard, he looked a bit like Santa- but without the red suit and elves. Maybe I'll be one of his elves? I decided then that I quite liked this new idea. Mummy doesn't like me anyway- she's always telling strangers what a pain I am. I'll be glad to get away from her and her smelly smoky breath.

The bus stopped at mummy's stop and I got excited to wave her off and stick my tongue out at her through the window. It hurt a little when she gave me away, but it was nothing compared to what came next. She yanked my hand and pulled me off the bus. I was never going to live with Santa. I cried as we walked away from my Santa daddy, I was so excitet...ted to be a elf and feed Rudolf.

Mummy's a bitch.

Fashion Fix

Fashion is one of my guilty pleasures in life, my sister (also my style icon) has shown me the glowy fashiony light and I've yet to look away. I know some people find it incredibly shallow and not worthy of consideration, but you've got to think- you encounter it every single day of you're life (apart from the nudists among you..) and if we must cover our bodies in cloth, it might as well be pretty... no? I pretty much eat fashion magazines for breakfast and geekily search the web for style blogs daily, so I thought I need to include a little more of my love on here.

My sister and I went to Goldaming a couple of weeks ago to scour charity shops for bargains. Goldaming is such a pretty town that looks like it's still in the 19'th century with gazebo's and cobbled streets, just walking around was lovely. The shops are pretty restricted- there's charity shops, bakeries, cafes and a fantastic little market on Thursdays. So not a place to run to for couture, but great for skint fashionistas like me and my sis. Here's what I found...

Have been looking for an over sized patterned chunky knit for months, so was happy to find this beauty for a measly £4

I liked the Gothic look to this little lace cover-up (very Autumn/Winter 09) I also enjoyed the price.....£2.50

After Goldaming I felt too saintly for only spending £6.50, so we went to Guildford highstreet to spend too much money on accessories....

This was from Topshop and was expensive. But look how prettttyyyy! Goes perfectly with a plain jumper to act like a blank canvas for this statement.

And this little chain from accessorise was just too cute. It's a CHAIR! on a necklace! That's fashion madness right there.

THINGS

And so here comes another blog with lists of exciting people/films/music/(other) blogs that are making my life that extra bit rose tinted at the moment. Some were found through magazines, some through word of mouth (alright, twitter) and some I stumbled across all on my own :D

I'll just stuck right in yeah? Yeah.

Lets start with the music. These bands/singers are currently exciting my ears:

• Cate le Bon (Listen to 'Me oh My' such a gorgeous song)


• St. Vincent (I've seen this bands name flying around the web for a while and today I finally took the time to listen- VERY GOOD, me likey)


• A Fine Frenzy (Recommended by my friend Rochelle who made the excellent point: 'How can you not like a song with clapping?!')


• JAY Z (Just for a spot of contrast...there is a gangsta somewhere deep inside, desperate to get out and write sic rhymes)

Right next section- Films!

• Where the Wild Things Are (see previous post! Out today- v.excited)


• An Education (read about this in Elle, is about a school girl getting it on with her teacher in the 60's. Caused quite a stir at Cannes film festival and is written by Nick Hornby so you can't go wrong).

NEXT! Fashion....

• I kinda want a snood. That's a scarf/hood by the way. And it looks like this-

• I also would quite like some statement boots to get me through winter- these would be perfect-

And finalamente....art/photography

• Annette Pehrson creates some beautiful ghost-like images, have a look at her blog:
  http://annettepehrsson.blogspot.com/


• Lucy-Ella also has some gorgeous and surreal fashion shots on her site:
  http://www.estherdreamsofmagic.blogspot.com/


• Zara Wood (or 'Woody') is an illustrator that has collaborated with topshop and has recently had her illustrated cameo jewellery featured in Elle- take a peek at
  http://www.zarawood.com/ Here's a couple of hers I like :)

So there you have it, another list of lovely THINGS. I'll be filling the next post with more things as I share with the world my charity shop finds from Goldaming last week. Stay tuned kids :D

Where the Wild Things Are....

So excited for this film......

Check out the website for a trailer- it'll make you smile, promise :)

http://wherethewildthingsare.warnerbros.com/#/Splash