Things of the Moment

I'm feeling rather uninspired by my wardrobe at the moment and there are very few things online that I like enough to buy. I think I'm in this purgatory phase or a fashion rift if you will and I've been in one for the last month! I guess it doesn't matter so very much at university because whilst its nice to wear clothes you love Cornwall isn't exactly fashion capital material.

To begin with we have barely any high street stores let alone designers. No Zara, no HandM and the local Topshop is tiny! We do have little boutiques here though, occasionally there's a gem to be found in them. Secondly, I adore shoes and ankle boots but the crazy hills don't lend themselves very well to anything taller than a 3 inch heel. Finally, being on the coast allows for certain 'coastal winds' that are not very skirt friendly. If I wear shorter skirts I'm usually setting myself up for a day of holding it down to salvage what's left of my dignity! Nope. Comfort is key here but even I would admit I probably play it too safe at times.

Powering It Through

I think I may have one of the loveliest running routes in the UK. I jog out of the studios, up some steps and turn left and that is the boring bit over. From there on in its running up hill past the dockyards, into the costal woodlands around the beaten down old castle that looks out to the sea then down towards the beaches and the cliff routes between them. I am in love with my route. I have never ran anywhere more beautiful. 

If running isn't your thing then don't by any means force yourself into it. Find something you enjoy there are too many possibilies to use the excuse 'sport just doesn't interest me'; Gym, Tennis, Football, Rugby, Athletics, Dancing, Cycling, Badminton, Netball, Basketball, Zumba, Aerobics, Swimming... oh so many exciting activities!

The thing with running is it can be the most fantastic feeling in the world and at other times it is the very last thing you want to be doing. If you decide to start running remember that the first month or so will be the toughest you will want to give up and find a million excuses to. After a while, however, you will get to the point that if you go a week without stepping out the door in a pair of not-so-white-anymore trainers your mind and body will be crying out for a bit of exercise! For example right now I haven't run in 3 days... that's pretty long for me and my body if desperate to be out jogging in the evening breeze but I've got to be somewhere soon so I have to wait until morning. 

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall Make Us feel Like Pretty Girls Again

 

As a generation we are probably one of the most body conscious and image based there has ever been. The obvious answer to all this is our love hate relationship with the media, never before has there been so many movies, glossy magazines and blogs to follow all full of beautiful men and women with the perfect figure, the perfect hair, make up, styles etc. I'm not about to rant and moan about how we should ignore the obvious draw of the media to look perfect; that models and actresses are the 'them' and we will never reach those dizzy heights (though I'll be the first to admit that no one is perfect and there is this beautiful thing called photoshopping and image editing that magazine editors just looovveee). In all honesty, in my opinion, body image is something completely personal and only you can change how you feel about your figure.

I have struggled with body image for as long as I could read. I remember looking as a child at the thick messy brunette hair on my head that I now love and thinking that I looked like a boy. Back then the craze in my primary school was braiding and long sleek straight hair. My mother insisted (and rightly so) that my hair was to be no longer than shoulder length because she just couldn't bare my moaning when she tried to drag a brush through it! Thus no long sleek hair and no braids for little me. 

Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool

Whilst the sun is still very much alighting us with its presence down here I can't help but feel a little chilly out of doors. Besides autumn is probably upon us now, its only going to get colder. I don't know where the summer disappeared to I don't feel I've done enough! 

Despite this sad little reality check I am looking forward to cosy nights and wrapping up warmly in those 'snug-as-a-bug' jumpers you can buy or knit if you're talented enough or patient enough to try (I am neither). I am, however, lucky enough to have a grandma who knits the most lovely knitwear for christmases and birthdays! As long as the rain holds back no matter how cold it is I am a happy bunny, England is so lovely without the rain!

I adore Fairisle jumpers in the winter. This one (pictured above) is the ultimate.

All Things Blank and Beautiful

I have always been a bit of a geek. Whilst I was in primary school [year 1 -I was 6 going on 7] I got in trouble with my teacher for wasting paper - I used to collect bundles of blank pages and then staple them together to create 'books'. I never wrote in them just created 'book' after 'book' until I was about 12 when I figured it would be fun to fill them with stories. In my early teens I used to buy blank notebooks that would sit for years on my shelves without so much as a flick of ink. Although my budget does not stretch as far as it used to, as a student of a particularly 'bookish' subject I can often be found in the library or at my desk typing or jotting away. My love for all things paper was clearly never a 'phase'.

Once more its that time of year again. Hundreds of thousands of young people and children are back off to school, college, university or new jobs. There is never a better time of the year to post about all things paper related. So forgive me if you're not big into stationery but I'm about to unveil my top 10 for desk accessories and journals. They're not in any particular order as its all down to individual taste!

The Great Fairy Cake Escapade

I cannot remember the last time I baked anything sweet but due to the new kitchen and my current lack of employment I decided it was time to whip a magical baking storm. What is the most simple cake to bake? Fairy cakes of course!

Yesterday I waltzed nonchalantly into town and bought a bun tray, self raising flour and icing sugar thinking I was the definition of domestic goddess. Unfortunately I did not consider that I might need to weight the ingredients so I knew I had put the right amounts in my mixture! So this morning armed only with my non-baking non-estimating brain and a couple of basic ingredients I set about creating the perfect fairy cakes.

For all those fellow non-bakers out there, here are the ratios that work!

1 cup of self-raising flour
1/2 cup of caster sugar
100g of butter (I had 500g so I just cut a 1/5 of it - estimation is the name of the game)
2 free range eggs

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees
2. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until its smooth
3. Pop them in a non-stick bun tray (or you could use the paper bun cups) for around 20 mins (you might need a bit longer - just keep checking them).

With a bit of luck you should end up with cakes like or even better than these sweet thangs! Ice them or drip melted chocolate and sweets over them etc

xoxo

My Little Studio

Hello there!

I'm sorry it has been so long since I last posted. My mind has been on a great many things and I've moved into my new home for the next year. The internet is terrriiible at the moment so I do hope it improves otherwise I'll have to blog from my university library! Whilst my little studio is not finished yet (it still looks very much like a blank canvas) as promised here's a little sneak peek into my little abode.