28.04.15

For most of the day I was marbling paper for studio practice (and getting very frustrated when the masking tape tore the paper or the paint leaked onto the wrong part of the page) but at lunch time I was told we were watching Tangled so obviously I brought my work downstairs and worked in the living room with Alice, Amy and Courtney. I bought 10 plain canvas bags from Amazon for like £6.30 and I'm planning on embroidering and tie-dyeing them and giving them as gifts. 

My biggest achievement of the day (and possibly my week) is that I learnt how to do a front drop at trapolineing today! I'm so proud of myself, I have never done one before! My elbows are killing me but WORTH IT! haha I think I am a bit too excited about this.. 

Rory called before bed and we had a conversation before I got too tired to carry on and we said goodnight. 

(Also this is officially my new fave photo of Amy ever.)

27.04.15

This morning I had another dissertation proposal workshop in which current 3rd year students who have just handed in their dissertations, gave us some advice. The basic message was to chill out and don't sweat the small stuff, just express what you are interested in. I found this super helpful and went straight to the library to work on my proposal. Just after lunch I decided to go home so I bought some cards and have learnt how to bind books with covers! I am over the moon with the results I think they look very professional and I cant wait to show my tutor. I am really looking forward to the exhibition!

26.04.15

Today was beautiful ...not that I would really know because I have been stuck inside all day trying to do work, watching Archer and eating rice. I got some research and analysis file done and attempted some more marbling but all in all I haven't felt very productive. Oh well, maybe I will feel a bit more proactive tomorrow...

25.04.15

I would not be exaggerating if I said all I did today was play Final Fantasy X. Most of the morning was spent sat on the floor simultaneously watching Archer and playing FFX and the only reason I stopped is because Courtney asked me to keep her company! I'm glad she did! At first all I did was play more downstairs but after a while I felt like being more social so we decided to watch more Jersey Shore. Its hilarious but I think its best when you have an American to translate for you. We popped to the shops at about half ten, deciding that tonight was actually a drinking night. We (Courtney) made an awesome simple sangria and got tipsy getting angry at 'the situation' and laughing at all the nonsense 'the meatballs' said (are you impressed by all my Jersey Shore lingo?). 

24.04.15

Mum gave me a lift back to Leeds and dropped me off by uni. I had 8 minuets to get to my lecture, which was also a big deadline hand in! I got there and the lecture was interesting as always - love Design Theory with Prof Hann even if it can be a little frustrating at times. I said I would do a photo shoot for Sinead about subverting gender roles, so I rushed home to change into dungarees and big boots. Me, Sinead, Elys and Chris walked down to the building site Sinead had chosen where we met up with a girl called Jemma (who I met on that night out with Courtney). I love this photo from the shoot! After a few photos we started getting a bit confident and started cat calling randomers, like this poor guy. great photo though! 

Afterwards we all went for ice cream at an ice cream parlour near by where they sold pistachio flavour! it was delicious. Walked back to uni where I met up with Amy and Courtney on some grass by the library where they were 'doing work'. It started to get chilly so we headed into the terraces bar.  After Amy left for work me and Courtney started planning her themed birthday party. It has been decided it is going to be a Dirty Jersey (Shore) themed party and I cant wait! Its going to be too funny! We then went home and watched a few episodes of Jersey Shore ...for... ...research... and continued making plans. Unfortunately Courtney then had to go to work so I headed up to my room to play Final Fantasy X. Rory called and we Skyped a bit before I headed to bed. 

(Photo Credit to Sinead!)

23.04.15

Today was really lovely! Left studio after seeing my tutor and eating some lunch and walked down to central station with Laura, who was getting the train back home. As soon as I got back in Newcastle I met up with Jess, Ellie and Ruby and we sat on the grass outside the civic centre drinking bubble tea and making plans for the summer. It was really nice to see them and I realised the four of us haven't really been together like that for months! We planned when we are off the the caravan and are most likely going to Traqare Fair too. I love being a hippy haha. 

Ruby gave me a lift home and we continued talking about food and lad culture and lots of other random stuff. I went straight from one car into the other. As soon as we got to my house mum was locking the door and getting into her car. We picked up Jim (who didn't really even notice it was odd I was back home) and headed to the Indian restaurant to meet Grandad and Uncle Chris. Grandad didn't know I was going to be there so mum and Jim went in first while I waited outside for a couple of minuets to surprise him. Apparently he was just telling mum what an awful day he was having and how his flights had been delayed for 4 hours when I walked in behind him and gave him a hug. He was over the moon! I feel like I turned his day around, especially when I told him I had come up just for him and was leaving in the morning to go back for my lecture.

 We all enjoyed a lovely meal together, it was the same restaurant we went to for Jim's birthday and it was just as delicious. It was sad we only got to see each other for a few hours but its better than nothing. As soon as me and mum got home we booked me and Jim flights for Spain to visit Grandad for two weeks in June. Cant wait!

22.04.15

I wasn't kidding when I said the weather has been incredible! After the dissertation proposal workshop at 11 (which made me feel so much better!) me Laura and Elys sat in the sun on the grassy area in the middle of uni. We chilled, ate our lunches and Laura made cute daisy chains. Unfortunately I had to go inside to work in the PC cluster to make sure I make my deadlines on Friday :( Went the the visiting speaker and then headed down the the train station and picked up my tickets for tomorrow. Sorting out the tickets today gets rid of stress tomorrow, everything will run much more smoothly now (touch wood!). Since coming home I have finished off most of my Design Theory and now want to go play FFX... 

21.04.15

After a long and busy day in the PC cluster I ended the day in Dry Dock. The deadline stress of Friday finally kicked in and I have now completed my 4th journal entry and my 5 A5 check assignment patterns for design theory. I gave up on the mood board and attempted to do my stupid dissertation proposal which only made me more confused, annoyed and frustrated at life. 

I was going to go trampolineing with Amy, and even packed a little PE kit, but when I left the Design School I left my workout stuff behind! To be fair it was about 7ish and after 5 once you leave the school you cant get back in so it was my own fault. Annoyed, I decided to make myself feel better by cooking the leek, potato and celery soup I have had my eye on. I went home started cooking and got some more work done when Courtney texted asking me to join her and Alice at the bar. Obviously I went, it was quids in so Captain Morgan and Coke is £1.50. Bargain! At about 11 we wandered home and Alice bought us junk food from Lucky's so all in all it was a good night!   

20.04.15

Happy 4 20! Today's photograph is a little invention crafted by Courtney which worked wonders and made watching Harry Potter very entertaining ;)

19.04.15

The weather has been incredible but me and Courtney had work to do so all we could do is open the back door and watch hairspray to make ourselves feel better about being stuck inside. We have so much alcohol left over from Chardee Macdenis that we decided day drinking was a good idea. I got loads of marbling done and I'm really excited about my studio practice right now.

By 8pm we decided we wanted to be drunk and so me Amy and Courtney played drinking games for American Pie and Role Models. Needless to say we got very drunk.

18.04.15

I have been a bit naughty and spent some dosh today. Because the sun was shining and I have been stuck indoors all week I decided to treat myself and go into town. I went vintage shopping and got some lush black jeans from Blue Rinse and went to Topshop and H&M and got a few crop tops for summer. I then went for a coffee at Mrs Athas where I did some reading and typed up some research and analysis file. When I came home me and Amy chilled and watches a couple of films before bed.  

17.04.15

Its so nice to be in the studio again. I feel so productive. Today I found my calling - Monoprint! It works so well for my project and I have already made over 50 prints! its quite therapeutic and not nearly as messy as the other stuff I have been doing! I should have thought to take a photo in the print workshop but I was an idiot and forgot to take my camera.

16.04.15

Today I experienced a little game called Chardee Macdenis. The game takes place on thee levels, each more alcoholic than the last. Alice, Alex and Dan (Courtney's coursmate) were on one team and Amy, Courtney and myself were on the other. There was not nearly enough wine, I did a shot of powder energy drink, two people vomited (neither of who were me!) and we lost. A good time was had by all. At the end of the night I ended up sleeping with Courtney because we wanted to talk about shit and I ended up falling asleep.

15.04.15

Mess is such a wonderful thing. I have been having a lush time in the studio getting messy and creating pieces I would not have ever been able to make at home. Over the next couple of days I want to try embossing, printmaking, marbling and get a good bit of research and analysis done. I'm stressing about Design Theory and I still have a half finished dissertation proposal to finish but they are another days problem. 

14.04.15

Got up early and made a couple of packed lunches (for lunch and tea) and went into uni. I started in the studio and began to organize my books and create more of the messy pieces I couldn't do at home when suddenly it was 5pm and the building was being closed. I wanted to go to the computer room and start my design theory but it turns out the computer rooms close early which kinda ruined my master plan for the week. I went to the library instead and was there for a couple of hours working on my dissertation proposal before calling it quits and leaving. I decided to eat my packed tea outside in one of the garden areas of the uni because it was such a nice day. I want to make more of an effort to spend time outside when the weather is lovely like this because I think it will do me good, hopefully keeping my stress levels down. 

When I went home I was planning on watching some documentary about video games for my dissertation but ended up watching Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia with Amy and Courtney until late. I have been really into embroidery lately and made cute passive aggressive message in pink and baby blue. Maybe I'm more annoyed with Rory than I realised.. 

13.04.15

Today's post is a bedroom appreciation photo. I forget when I am away how much I love my room at 47 Uplands and all the memories and lovely things I have collected over the years, each carefully given a home. This is my zen space. If a room could describe me, this would be it.

Mum gave me a lift back to Leeds and we arrived at about 3 after having a very relaxed morning and a very chatty car ride. It was sad to say goodbye but we will keep in contact and I will be seeing her in a few weeks. Amy and Courtney are here so I have company, not that I took advantage of that as I spent the day unpacking and then trying, unsuccessfully, to get some work done. Tomorrow I am going to start the first of many full days at uni at the studio and in the PC cluster trying to keep on top of all my upcoming deadlines.

(also mum pointed out yesterday how much more 'bloggy' my blog is becoming as I have gone from the few lines of description under each image to a paragraph or more! I hope I wont be disappointing you over the next few days as I wont really be doing much!)

12.04.15

Woke up a bit later than I wanted to. I packed up my clothes, ready to go back to Leeds tomorrow and headed to the metro to Percy Main. I got to dads for about 1:30ish and we proceeded to listen to a variety of music for the next few hours. Dad cooked me an amazing (as always) breakfast! Sausages, black pudding, fried eggs and a mountain of toast! He gave me a load of vinyl to take home, partly to help culturally educate me and partly to clear his house of clutter. Although the photograph may not show it, dad is trying to sort out his house, even if only a little bit! 

Mum picked me up at 8:30 with Jim so that he could say his farewells to me. Having dropped off Jim at his house, we picked up Emily who also wanted to see me before I left. Even though her visit was only brief and all we were doing was chanting about our boys as she set on my bed and I packed my bags it was lovely. Its nice Emily will be the last home friend I will see before I disappear back to uni. Its been a lovely last day at home with dad and I wish I had seen more of him over this holiday, ahh well I will just have to make up for it over summer.

11.04.15

I was hoping to have a more interesting photo for the day, but my day has not really gone to plan... 

Woke up and had a lovely morning with Rory. Played a bit of Fall Out New Vagas before he left for a games day at Christophe's, promising me he would be back at about 7. So I got some uni work done, which has made me feel much better about going back, but now its 11pm and I'm really upset with Rory for not being back yet. Its the last time we will see each other until summer and he said he was going to cook for me and we were going to have a lovely in night. But obviously that hasn't happened. After a little cry I made myself a pot of my fancy flower tea and I'm getting on with work. The main reason I am upset is I could have slept at dads tonight and spent some time with him but instead, completely without choice, I have spent today alone. 

10.04.15

How big is little Addie! Went to my first baby shower today and had a really good time. It was at 42 in Whitley which is actually a surprisingly nice venue! Addie seemed to have a really good time and it was so nice to see her again! I doubt Ill have the chance to see her again before her due date so next time we catch up ill be meeting the mini Addie! (or as me and Rory refer to it as the Adehhbabay - pronounced addie-baby)

09.04.15

I slept so bad last night. Woke up at 8am feeling like death and ended up going back to sleep from 10am till 2pm. I got up and spent most of the day watching Tom Baker Dr Who and trying to figure out what to do for my dissertation. Scary stuff! So far I'm pretty set on it being about video games but there's so much I want to look at I cant filter it down into one question or topic! 

When mum came back from work she took me to Boundry Mill to get more paper for the books I'm making. She then took me to Sainsbry's where I bought some gifts for Adie's baby shower tomorrow. Got her a range of things for a range of ages. Knew I needed to get her socks because if there is one thing I know about babies its that they hate socks and always end up losing them. We got fish and chips for tea and watched TV. 

08.04.15

(100th post!)

I woke up feeing really ill today, I think all these late nights have finally caught up with me! I spent the day watching films from the top 250 list and doing some studio work that I have been ignoring. I completed 4 booklets (which will make 2 books) which I'm quite pleased about. The films I watched were all very different but very entertaining and kept me feeling exhilarated whilst I spend hours undertaking a repetitive and mundane task. I am constantly thankful that my degree involves creating and making and isn't just exams and essays however creating art can be so mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting. I feel like the art I create will only be good if I project and present a part of myself in my work. I always try and make everything I do the best it can be, outdoing the thing that came before it, otherwise whats the point in doing it? However, sometimes I worry that if I am investing the best parts of me into my studio practise, and everything else I do, without properly creatively rewarding or replenishing myself one day there will be nothing left. But maybe I am just saying this because I am ill...

07.04.15

Party at the boy's house again. This was not as wild as last time as many of us were hung over and the rest of us had work the next day. I really only went for Rory who was eager to see everyone again. Because he works now he had to be up early the next day and so we tried to get the last bus home. Tried being the key word because we missed it and ended up having to get a taxi from Chilli Road to Rory's and then on to mine. It only cost £13.50 which that bad. 

06.04.15

Went to Digi Monday so here is the classic 'What The Fuck Have You Done' Digi photo. It was a good night which had an unfortunate ending when Trousdale kicked off with me for leaving the club to go get food. I would understand, he was probably stressing, thinking that we were going to miss the taxi he ordered but still that does not excuse rudeness. Besides there was no way I was going to make us late! There was over an hour until the taxi was due! Anyway he left me and Gibson (who was awesome that night) in town and sent weird texts to Gibson, Ruby and Rory by which point I decided enough was enough and saw red! I went extreme bitch mode. Ahh well these things happen.

05.04.15

On Sunday Rory invited Ben, Richard, Joe and Christophe round for gaming and bater. It was a nice casual night and i think it was nice for Rory to spend time with people in a smaller group rather than at a party. I think he sometimes feels like is doesn't spend quality time with people the way he should. Personally I think he should chill out but whatever. Also I think we can agree the only person who looks good in this photo is Ben who looks dashing. Haha damn it Ben. 

Also Christophe (who ducked under the table for the first photo) looks so bloody cool... 

04.04.15

Rory came home today! I went to his and we played drinking games and listens to Disney songs. Perfect :')

03.04.15

After a day of studio work in my room watching films I ended the day with a pot of tea, a Lush dragon egg bath ballistic and Sin City. This has been the first time I have been alone at 47 Uplands in a long time. Rory would usually come round but because he is still in Scotland I thought I would make the most of it and spend 33 hours soaking. Mum went to the caravan for the long bank holiday weekend and although she had already bought me a haircut for Easter she popped into my room before leaving and gave me some Thornton's truffles (my fave!) and this amazing tea! Its flower tea so when you brew it the flower blossoms. The white tea tastes so delicate and is one of the coolest things I have ever been given! 

02.04.15

Spent today recovering from last night and preparing myself for Thursbay with the girls! Got ready at Emily's and had prinks at Sarah's. We all got really dressed up so it was a good excuse to wear these bad boys again! Jemma and Sarah ended up leaving Havana when me Emily and Ruby went to the toilet (rude) so the three of us ended up doing our own thing. The bay was heaving because all the schools broke up today and its good Friday tomorrow so everyone is off work. Loads of people went to Deep but I have no intention of ever going there because like hell am I paying a fiver to go anywhere in the bay. Overall good night! 

01.04.15

Worked with Jim this morning, went to the Parks sport centre where Jim goes trampolining and then to lunch at the cornerstone cafe in Whitley. At 7 the boys were having a party at Chilly Road and mum gave me, Trousdale, David and Shorty a lift. Had a grate night! Drank LOTS of vodka and spent most of the night in Joes clothes and he in mine (all because of drinking Jenga, not because thats something we are into). Got a taxi back with David and Trousdale before noodles and bed.  

31.03.15

Started my uni work. Have begun making books, which is really fun! I suddenly want to make comics.... Went to Boundry Mills for art supply and ended up getting a lovely maxi skirt as well. oops!

30.03.15

Unexpectedly went into town with mum. She was really ill and therefore in a bad mood which also meant I was in a bad mood today. I got a couple of amazing bath bombs from Lush which I am very excited about! I got my lobes pierced again at Newcastle jewellers and also got some new bras. I love Bravisimo but £98 for three bras hurts me. I did get a sports bra for trampolineing though with boosted the price significantly but it is so worth it!