June & July Favourites
Hello and welcome to another sunsh- oops! That's going to take some getting used to. I've made habits now and it's going to take some time to break them...
Oh, I've missed you, blog!
It's terribly cliche to say this but I can't believe how fast this year is going. July went by in a sweep and now we've arrived in August. How exactly did that happen? How does the calendar gently bounce from one week to the next without me feeling like my to-do list has shrunk?
These past two months have been almost opposites with one being very busy with a very important project and the other also involving a project but feeling very different; different whereby it's me at the end of the project going: go on, keep going! The latter, you may have guessed, was my Sunshine, July and Daily tangents blog project for the month of July. I felt like I wasn't noting down as many favourites for July, which is why I've decided to combine the two. It's going to make for a long blog post as opposed to two very varied in length. Let's just see how this goes...
June
To begin, flowers. The most gorgeous flowers were in full bloom and all around. So I can't post all of the photos I have but you will find some popping up along the journey of this post.
2) This is the month I completed my final outcome for a 5-month project. As you can imagine it was quite a wonderful feeling to actually finish my work but also be incredibly pleased with it. The end of a project is always a very stressful time with a multitude of other emotions but I'm certain they will be times I cherish.
So I finished my final piece with 4 days left to write an evaluation, complete my sketchbooks and other random but crucial things and I just had this craving to make the other outcome I'd been thinking about non-stop. By this point, I was working like a dog and really pushing to do my absolute best and achieve the grade I was hoping for. I was a bit of a nightmare, to be honest- stressed, possibly a bit touchy, but also my best self where I was working on a creative project. With 4 days left until hand-in, I ran away with the urge to create this piece, and you know what? I'm so glad I did. I finished it within 2 days which is just madness!
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| Two very beefy sketchbooks #Studious |
When I talk about how I finished the outcome with 2 days to spare everyone is quite astonished at how I did it. To be honest I'm not really too sure how I managed it. I don't drink coffee! paired with a puzzled expression is my response to people but I think I was on a roll with my previous outcome and I knew how to make the next so I just did it. Luckily I had the time at home to make this, I didn't take much of a break but I treated myself with a quick youtube video here and there and Mcfly to keep me going.
I will share pictures soon, just not yet.
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| Saw these beauties, walking along with a friend. We were both drawn in their direction and got out our cameras at the exact same time. |
I don't understand it and I really want to know what it's about so if anyone can help me out please do.
4) Ice cream. I'm going to type this shrinking down in my chair and hiding my face at the thought of the reaction: I had never had Ben and Jerry's Salted Caramel Brownie Ice cream before June. Ok so it's not that dramatic and I had experienced the joy that is Ben & Jerry's ice cream before but I thought I'd found my favourite in the cookie dough flavour. How hadn't I discovered this sooner?
5) Modern family (again). Let's just see how long this fierce love of the show lasts, shall we? I'm now up to series 6 and still watching every single day. Favourite character? It's very much still Phil...
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| Credit: GIPHY |
6) At this point (June), I had been looking forward to seeing the film Yesterday for a long time. Then at the end of June, I finally got to see it and it was everything I had hoped for.
The story captivates me the most and I think it's the plot that really grips the audience. Essentially it's a story about a world without The Beatles. It follows a singer-songwriter who is down on his luck and not where he wants to be with his passion for music. In a very peculiar few seconds, the worlds electricity cuts of at the same time that Jack Malik collides with a bus. He wakes up from his accident to discover that he is the only soul on Earth who remembers The Beatles. With that, he uses it to his advantage and claims their music for himself.
The film provokes you to consider how much of an impact the Beatles had/have. How can the world completely wipe an influential part of history? What would you do if you were in this position? What artist do you think you could recount the most lyrics of? I'd just hope that the lyrics I remember have some meaning and a role in contributing positively. The Beatles music has this power.
The songs are still in my head and protruding not so elegantly out of my face to this day- August 11th as I write this. Simply wonderful and full of joy.
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| Watching Graham Norton hyped me up for the film |
A story I wanted to retell comes from Himesh Patel who Plays Jack Malik in the film. He said that whilst he was in between his many auditions for this role, he was in New York doing a play. He was walking through the subway when he heard a busker singing I wanna hold your hand by The Beatles. Popular band, a well-known song he thought but then as he walked by this man singing he turned to look at him and the singer winked at Himesh.
A sign? Maybe.
7) The Graham Norton Show- I don't know how this has escaped my past favourites but this is my favourite show. Which leads me to...
8) As I sat watching Lily James, Himesh Patel and Danny Boyle on Graham Norton, I enjoyed a Cinnamon swirl. The very next month I decided to learn how to make them myself as they are one of my favourite things...
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| From my Snail blog post in last months project |
9) One special evening- I returned home with a blister, my number handed out to numerous people and full of adrenaline- no I wasn't drunk: it was my showcase.
I realize I use the word Love a lot and especially in these Favourites blog posts but it would be near impossible to convey through a screen how much I love having showcases. Displaying the work you've poured your whole self into is one of the best feelings in the world. It's a mixture of feeling lighter now that all of your work is completed and submitted, showing the family what you've been doing for the past few months which is relief after hiding it for this big reveal, excitement and slight nerves at having other people see your work and sadness that a project has ended. There are so many emotions that make up an entirely new ultimately positive feeling. It was a great evening stored in my head, heart and photo album.
10) The book: Eve of Man by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher. If you enjoy stories such as The Hunger Games and Harry Potter where fantasy has a play, you will definitely enjoy this book. I liked how the book kept moving and I was always wondering what was going to happen next. If I wasn't reading, I was wondering what the characters were up to. I only ever get this with books by Giovanna Fletcher.
It was thrilling, captivating, unpredictable and moreish.
11) A stroll around a craft market. I had a lovely time walking around a busy room of craft-loving people, looking at creative stalls and chatting to artists. Here I bought a keyring with an image of the moon and a botanical dinosaur-themed coaster. I adore them both wholeheartedly and it makes it even better that these are unique creations made through a passion for creativity.
The botanical dinosaur collection is by Illustrator and designer Amy Harwood. I am obsessed with her colourful illustrations! They combine four loves of mine: dinosaurs, flowers, colour and illustration.
The moon keyring is created by Lauren Webb. She makes the most wonderful keepsake items based around space and the galaxy. If you've been reading my blog for some time you'll know that that is exactly what I love.
I am very pleased to have both of these items on display so I can see them every day!
I will leave a link to both artists below the image. I just want to say that I'm not sponsored and I haven't been asked to talk about these items I just think their wonderful and wanted to share!
Amy Harwood's Etsy shop (Botanical Dinosaurs)
Lauren Webb's Etsy shop (Space and Galaxy)
12) Makeup- This may not be heard very often from someone in their 20's but I learnt how to do a full face of makeup this June. I had a 'thing' and I wanted to make sure I was putting in all the effort I could to feel my best. Feeling a little bit different from my normal, I felt, would give me confidence and I really needed some of that.
On previous occasions, I would always ask someone else to do it for me. To be honest I felt that it was too big a challenge for me to overcome. Looking back now I can't understand why I felt this when It's just like painting. I loved it. I now feel more capable of taking care of this area of life myself. You wouldn't believe how much this opens up and how many problems this diminishes.
Full disclosure I felt nervous approaching people in the makeup shop for advice but I managed to pick two really lovely girls (younger than me, I will add, which initially felt daunting).
In the end, it was one less thing I worried about which ultimately decreased anxiety. I want to keep experimenting and trying out different colours and makeup. It is very overwhelming walking into a makeup shop and staring up, down and across at a wide range of products; most of which I have no idea what they do!
I am 100% sure that I'm not alone in this and there are loads of people my age delving into the world of makeup. I felt like sharing to normalise it. It feels incredibly different on the other side of trying out a once apprehensive challenge, believe me.
13) Winning an award- I won an award! whoop whoop. Utterly terrified but I sat with my anxiety and gave it a punch at the end.
I wore the most wonderful jumpsuit that was comfortable, the perfect colour for me and floral. It was a great evening that ended with a Subway.
15) My day in the Darkroom which you can read about here!
16) The sunny weather- I succumbed to the heat as I never used to and actually enjoyed having my legs feel the warmth of the sun as opposed to the irritation of the denim. Tropical floral shorts are my go-to.
17) Giant Daisies- On a stroll in the sunshine I discovered these monster-rated (I know this means something different but I'm changing the meaning ever so slightly) flowers. My hand in is the photo for scale otherwise you wouldn't believe it. Is this what all Daisies would look like if they weren't picked or cut?
18) Singing- My blog every day in July project highlighted to me that the thing I do every day without fail is one of my favourite things. I am constantly singing- as long as there no one else around! I fail to sing well but it feels wonderful so I shall continue.
19) Going to watch cricket with my dad. This is something that makes me very nostalgic as I have really lovely memories of watching cricket with my dad as a child. I never actually watch the cricket, I just like talking to my dad. He makes me laugh and to me, he's much more entertaining.
21) Sweets- I need help with this one. In July I rediscovered the most amazing sweets I've ever had. I've had them at weddings and events and each time I vow to find them. But the problem is I don't know what they're called. Do you know?
...they are the two sweets on the right.
22) A beautiful sky:
...It was very hot and sunny the next day.
As ever, thank you for reading! I will return next week.
Love,
Buddy xx
Last weeks post: Sunshine, July and Daily Tangents #31 Typewriter
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