Recycled Crochet Basket

Every crafty person runs out of room to put their hoard of materials.  And every crafty person will automatically think 'What can I make to hold all of my making things?' and my answer to this was to crochet a basket for my wool.
I already had a case full of wool but obviously that got full up pretty quickly.  I was scrolling through Pinterest when I saw the idea of using plastic bags to crochet a mat.  I love the recycling idea and my boyfriend and I are self confessed plastic bag hoarders (they're 5p, I'm not dumping a bag that I payed for) so I thought this is brill, cut down the amount of plastic bags under our kitchen sink AND solve my no room for wool crisis.  I decided to create a plastic basket and this is the end result! I could have made it bigger but this took long enough and if it was any bigger I have a feeling the basket would lose it's shape.
In super simple, straight to the point terms: here is how I made my crocheted plastic basket.

 Firstly, I needed quite a few plastic bags.  I used ones that were all of the same colour (there are other supermarkets out there, just saying) but I suppose you could use a range of colours and create a stripey one.  Whatever you want to do.

 I flattened out one plastic bag at a time and cut off the handles and the bottom join with a straight line.  With the 'tube' of plastic left from the centre I then cut that into strips.  Only cut up to about an inch from the top where one fold is and make each strip just under an inch each.  Each strip should be two layers and these layers should still be joined at the top and bottom where the folds are.
So you now have strips of plastic that look like it's been fringed basically.

 Open up the plastic at the fold that joins all the strips.  It should be symmetrical along the fold.

 This bit can be tricky as it's easy to cut something you're not supposed to.  To make the continuous strip of plastic in order for you to crochet with, a cut needs to be made diagonally from the edge of one strip to another.  Don't cut straight across or you will be left with lots of short strips of plastic.  Cut diagonally to ensure it all continues onto one another.  Do this all the way down the area where the fold is and you should be left with a long enough strip to wrap into a ball.  I needed roughly 10 of these.

To start crocheting the actual basket you'll need to know how to start either a magic ring or just create a circle with chains, it's up to you.  Start to single crochet around, adding extra single crochets where you feel it getting tight and whenever it starts to curl up.  You want to make this circle completely flat.  You should be adding less and less extra crochets as you go along.  I used a 10mm hook so yes you need a really fat hook.

This circle is the bottom of the basket so keep going, joining the next ball of plastic whenever needed, until you get the width of the basket you want.  Mine is just over a foot wide.
You'll then need to start just doing single crochets without the extra ones.  This will start to create the sides of the basket.  It may take a few rounds to start to see it curve up.  Keep going around until you get the desired height of your basket.

Handles are optional but they're cute.  I created about 10 chains where I wanted my handle to be, joined it after about 8 stitches to create the loop of the handle and then single crocheted back over the chains to make the handle stronger.  Do this on both sides, equal distances from each other.


And that's all! Easy peasy! Just takes a while and the plastic can be tough to crochet with.  Just keep it nice and loose and you should have no problems.  Hope this has inspired you to make room for more wool cause you can never have too much ;)

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 30

My Goals for the Next 30 Days

I have a very busy month ahead of me.

Two main things.

Making money:  I'll basically be working full time until the end of August which is when my university course starts.  I'm starting to run out of money and it's scary.
Moving:  On the 18th of July I'm moving!  I'm so excited but this is what this money will be for.  Paying for the deposit and rent but also all the furniture.  But we've definitely got this flat and it's so lovely.  It's just getting done up and it's so clean and modern looking.  It's also so much bigger than our current flat.
I'm also planning to meet up with people I haven't seen in a while.  Today I met up with one of my best friends who has just had a baby.  Brilliant catch up.  Also want to meet up with my best friend from school, go out for a meal with all the ones from work and have a reunion with my old college friends which is a long time coming.
Other goals are the likes of keeping this blog going and also my other one that's dedicated to my Shetland ponies.  Need to stock up on photos for that as both my sister and I are moving away for uni and obviously can't take more photos of the ponies while we're there.
I'll also be crocheting and making things for people.  I love my crochet and I can see this blog becoming mainly about that and other creative things I'm getting up to.
Just basically staying creative over the summer break.


Song of the day: My favourite song this time last year

Miles Away by The Maine

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 29

List 10 People, Dead or Alive, That I Would Invite to Dinner

Including the Dinner Menu

1. Gordon Ramsay - Cause he's brill and he can cook the dinner, plus he's Scottish.
2. Jennifer Lawrence - Because she's one of my favourite actresses and she seems like such a laugh
3. Ed Sheeran - Because he's just perfect and awkward.  Plus he'd be worse dressed than me so all's good
4. Tom Fletcher - He's the lead singer of McFly, I love his vlogs and just seems like a decent, fun guy
5. Stephen Mulhern - As he is the funniest guy on TV ever, I just love him
6. Ant & Dec - They're basically one person and they are hilarious with Stephen Mulhern on Britian's Got More Talent.  It's better than the actual show
7. Sam Claflin - Because he is just beautiful.
8. My Grandad - Because I miss him and I want to have one last conversation with him now that I haven't seen him in 10 years.
9. Sara Bareilles - My favourite female singer and she sounds bubbly and a good laugh
10. Johnny Depp - Because it's Johnny Depp

Menu

Starters - A selection of chinese starters, such as wontons, prawn toasts, ribs, peking duck wraps, etc etc

Main Course - Either spaghetti carbonara or the meatiest pizza ever

Pudding - Maybe a chocolate cheescake type thing or hot chocolate pudding with ice cream mmm

And cocktails throughout because I loooove them

Song of the day: A song from my childhood

Year 3000 by Busted

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 28

Something That I Miss

Home.

I haven't been home, where my family lives, in months now.  While I'm there it doesn't take me long to get fed up with the place.  But being away from there for a while, I do get homesick.  Today I'm travelling back home to stay with my family for 2 weeks and I'm so excited.  It means a 12 hour boat journey but the sea sickness will be worth it in the end.
I also miss my Shetland ponies.  Again, I've not seen them in months and they change so quickly and grow up so fast.  I need to spend the reasonably nice summer days with them.  Where they live is also beautiful.  I don't really like living in a city and going back home will remind me of the open landscapes and fresh air.  I love the views.
BUT, I won't move back there.  It's a wonderful place to visit but living on a tiny island is so claustrophobic and I know too many people there.  I like being unknown.  Where people don't know my past and can't judge me on it.


Song of the day: A song that makes me feel guilty

7 Things by Miley Cyrus because I really shouldn't like Miley Cyrus at all.

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 27

A Problem I Have or Had in the Past

What kind of problem is this implying?  A physical problem?  A mental one?  A problem with something else?
I've never had any physical problems.  No broken bones, no disabilities, the worst I've had is uncontrollable hair for my whole life.  That's a huge problem.
For mental ones, I've suffered from anxiety, a bit of depression and self hate but nothing that serious.  Nothing that everyone else doesn't go through too.  And I've already mentioned in a previous post of my problem with getting bullied etc.
But I don't know what this means by problems apart from that.  I've had difficult maths problems.  I've had problems like running out of toilet roll.  What does this mean by problems?
I'm giving up on this topic of the day for today because I honestly don't get it.


But here's the song of the day: A song that I wish I could play

My sister can play this song on the piano and I'm always jealous when she does
Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy

On the Hunt

These past few days I've spent in this small town near the borders of Scotland.  My boyfriend and I travelled down on Monday as this is where we are going to be living.  I got into university and the campus is there.
I had been there once before for my uni interview but my boyfriend had never seen the town before.  He absolutely fell in love with the place (thank God as I didn't want to be dragging him to this new awful town).  We currently live in a city that's, in our opinion, filled with junkies and oil workers and the housing is a ridiculous price.  This new town will be nearly half the price for housing and is filled with students and old people.  It's perfect.
While we were there we did some flat hunting.  We had 7 viewings of properties.  A few of them, lets say they're the houses the old people lived in (and perhaps died in considering the smell).  We found three flats that we would love to stay in and have already applied to one with the other two being back ups.  We love this flat.  It has it's own private entrance, two big bedrooms and is getting completely redone for us moving in.  New carpets, new wallpaper, new doors, new appliances, everything.  We are praying that the landlady accepts our application.  It's just a couple weeks until we move and we are so utterly excited!  And having this extra bedroom means I have more room for a proper creative station.

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 26

If I Had £1,000,000...

I would be the biggest cliche when it comes to spending that much money.

I would save about half of it.  Stick it into the bank and leave it.  I couldn't spend the whole lot of it at once and I wouldn't want to go too crazy.  I'd want it in case of emergencies or if a family member had an emergency.
I would give a good bit to charity, or a lot of small charities.  The thing with bigger charities is that a lot of the money goes straight into the founder's pocket.  I discovered this about the RSPCA first.  But I would give £10,000 to 10 different charities.  Probably animal charities cause I don't like people as much.
I wouldn't work part time while I'm at university.  I'd focus completely on my studies and then once they're done I would buy a house when I know where a job will be for me.  Not a massive one with too many bedrooms to count.  Small enough to still feel like a home but big enough to have everything I would want in it.
A shopping spree would be needed too.  Just a small one but I wouldn't feel guilty while doing it which would be amazing.
I would help my sisters pay for university living costs.  I don't think my parents struggle with money too much but if they needed anything I would help.  And I would take them all on a holiday.  Maybe even travel the world.


Song of the day: A song that I can play on an instrument

I used to be able to play this song

Popcorn by whoever it's by

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 25

Someone Who Fascinates Me

I don't get fascinated by people.

I get inspired by people.

Creative people inspire me.  It doesn't make me want to find out more about the person.  I just want to know more about what they do and how that can help me improve my own work.  Other people can motivate me and get me to start creating things.  This people could be my friends, people in my class, someone on pinterest or instagram, a famous artist or designer.  Absolutely anyone that has created something that I think "I want to do that".  No one in particular.  It could be someone particular at a certain moment but as a whole, no.


Song of the day: A song that makes me laugh

I'm going to have to go with a song by someone from the same place as me.  It's in a certain Scottish dialect that some people might not understand but that's partly why I love it

Lowrie Sells His Oo by Alec Couper

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 24

My Favourite Movie

The Hunger Games series

Suzanne Collins is the author of the books and if you have not read them I highly recommend you do, whether you've seen the films or not.
If you've not seen the films...
The story is set in Panem which is made up of 12 Districts and The Capitol.  74 years ago there was a war in Panem where The Capitol came out triumphant and District 13 was destroyed.  To show the Districts who is boss, The Capitol introduced 'The Hunger Games' where two tributes, a boy and a girl, between the ages of 12 and 18, are reaped from each District to battle it out in an arena to the death.  The winner is bathed in riches in the Capitol.  It's basically an extreme reality TV show for the wealthy.
Each District is given a job to provide something for the capitol. District 12 is the poorest District and their job is mining.  Katniss Everdeen and her younger sister Primrose live there.  At the reaping, Primrose is chosen to enter the Hunger Games which is when Katniss volunteers instead of Prim as tribute.  Peeta Mellark is chosen as the boy for District 12.  The story follows them through training and into the arena where we watch Katniss fight to stay alive, along with the other 23 tributes, for The Capitol's amusement.
The second film follows the story of the 75th Hunger Games.  It's explained that every 25 years there is a Quarter Quell where there is a new rule to the traditional games.  This year, tributes are reaped from existing winners.  This sparks huge anger throughout the Districts as the rules are that the winners are always treated like royalty afterwards and are never to go back into the games.  The tributes reaped from existing winners are furious and it's the start of an uprising against The Capitol for being so cruel and unfair to the Districts.
The final two films are all about the uprising and the new war that is then created.  I won't give away anything else to people who haven't seen it.

I love this film series for a number of reasons:
The strong female lead.
The political aspect that is easy to understand.
The age when I watched the first film relates to the characters.
The character development.
The action without it being constant and without it showing any blood.
The hot guys...
The little bits of humour.
It gives off every single emotion.
The books are just as brilliant.


Song of the day: A song I want to play at my funeral

I would totally want something funny. I don't want my funeral to be sad, I want it to be as if it was my last every birthday party.

Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 23

Post 5 Photos of Famous People that I Find Attractive

Sam Claflin - Absolutely fell in love with his role as Finnick in The Hunger Games and now in Me Before You when he plays Will Traynor.  Sam is by far my top celeb crush.

Johnny Depp - A young version even though for his age he is still very good looking.  But God when he was younger....oh my God.  And just so talented and stars in so many of my favourite movies.

Dougie Poynter - Bassist in one of my favourite bands McFly, and recently started modeling

John O'Callaghan - Not his longer hair stage and not his super skinny stage.  Lead singer of The Maine.

Francisco Lachowski - Model and almost too good looking and perfect that I'm put off but good God he's hot

Song of the day: A song I want played at my wedding

I Choose You by Sara Bareilles

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 22

How I've Changed in the Past 2 Years

Two years ago I had just finished my first year of college and was getting ready to live in a new city to study at another college for two years.  I started to discover who I was in my first year of college but these past two years I've 'developed' myself.  (This is some great design process terms I'm using)

I have realised how awful people are.  They are just out for themselves and don't give much of a thought to the people on the other end.
I've also realised how brilliant people can be.  So talented and skilled and so kind hearted.  People are one extreme or the other now.

I've become more motivated.  I'm now constantly wanting to do something productive and hate when I'm not.  I've learnt to crochet in less than a year because of this and it's my new favourite hobby.

I've learnt not to keep my hopes up too much.  Thinking that something will happen disappoints me so much when it doesn't happen.  I now just expect things to go wrong or something bad to happen.

Other things are that I'm an inch taller than I thought I was, I've put on 2 stone and I'm starting to get better at makeup.


Song of the day: A song I listen to when I'm sad

If You Could See Me Now by The Script

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 21

One of my Favourite TV Shows

I have really been getting into TV shows recently but I think a lot of people have.  There are so many good ones out there at the moment.

I've recently watched all seven seasons of skins within a couple weeks which is brill.  I'm up to date with The Walking Dead which got dull during the third or fourth season but is really picking up again.  I also love American Horror Story and I'm in the middle of Hotel.  (Lady Gaga is perfect in it by the way)

My favourite TV show though has to be Once Upon A Time.  Good Lord how I fangirl.  For people that don't know what this show is about I'll give you a brief description.  The show is set in a town called Storybrooke where Emma Swan is brought to by her long lost son as she is 'destined' to help the locals there.  What she comes to realise is that the people living there are characters from well known fairy tales, stuck there because of a curse the Evil Queen cast on the town.  She has to break this curse and give them back their memories of their fairy tale lives.  The series continues with more problems and places to discover.

I love seeing new characters appear and guessing what fairy tale character they are before it's actually revealed.  And I love the twists on the original well known stories.  (And I'm madly in love with Hook)


Song of the day: A song I listen to when I'm happy

Harlem by New Politics

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 20

How Important is Education?

Everyone keeps telling you how important education is to get a job in the future and make it easier for yourself.  I've now finished college and going onto university and I'm going to share my thoughts on this and what I wish people had told me.

Your first set of important exams, when you're roughly 15 or 16, only need to be good enough to get you into your next set of education.  My exams at that age were called Standard Grades and in order to get into 'Highers' the next year, rather than the lower level of qualification, determines how well I do in these exams.  And then Highers only matter to get into Advanced Highers or college or university.  It works like a ladder, once you get a step up the last one doesn't really matter anymore.

For me, I had to get my standard grades to get highers, highers to get advanced highers, advanced highers to get to national certificate, national certificate to get to higher national certificate, higher national certificate to get to higher national diploma AND THEN I can get to do a degree.  It's been a long struggle but I'm getting there.  But as soon as I get a better qualification then the previous one doesn't really matter.  No one cares that I got a B in Biology five years ago.

Education does matter.  Early education doesn't matter anywhere near as much as people make it out to be but it's great practice.  Just do your best to get to your next stage, whether that's further education or a job.


Song of the day: A song that I listen to when I'm angry

Misery by The Maine

Self Worth

Today was my last day of college ever.

I've come away from it feeling extremely proud of myself.  I managed to get an A in graded unit, a runner up for best textiles at the art show last night and today I won an award for my crocheted neckpiece.  I really needed this confidence boost in my work and I'm finally believing in myself.
I've felt as though my work wasn't good enough for a while now.  The main reason for this is how long it has taken me to get anywhere.  It has taken me 4 years to only get into first year of university.  Everyone around me has got some sort of uni placement on their first try and I'm here battling my way through every single level of qualification.  I have had zero short cuts.  I feel as though I've had to work even harder than most people to get to the same place and it made me feel like I wasn't good enough.  This last year of college has abolished those thoughts.

I now believe in my work and my skills.

But I'm still not who I want to be.

I am so utterly fed up with how I look.  I could give you a list, head to toe, of all the things I don't like about my looks.  I'm jealous of pretty much every girl I walk past.  I want to look like anyone but myself.  I want to be slim, so I don't see rolls of fat through my clothes or look like a whale next to my friends.  I want my hair to frame my face nicely, not look like a haystack over my head and to know how to style it.  I want smoother skin and to know how to apply make up properly.  I want a thinner, more elegant face.  I want nicer, whiter teeth and a nicer smile.
I don't care what guys think of me.  I want girls to look at me and think 'I want to look like her'.

I've had my photo taken a lot over the past week and I've hated every one.  I am so fed up with how I look and I'm stuck with it.

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 19

My Biggest Regret

I regret something pretty much every day.
Choosing one moment is near impossible.

I regret caring so much in High School.

High School, at the time, was all about popularity and fitting in.  I was so extremely quiet with next to no friends.  I would straighten my hair every single day so I didn't get as many people bullying me.  I didn't speak to people in case they thought I was weird.  I didn't stand up for myself as I didn't want to be talked about.

I wish I had spoken back to people that called me names.  I wish I stood up for myself.  When people hit me I wish I had turned round and hit them back in the face.  I wish that when people irritated me I told them so.  I wish that I wasn't so afraid to be me, and try out new looks and tried to stand out more.

High School was awful.  The people were awful.  And I wish I could tell them all now just how awful they were.


Song of the Day: A song from my favourite album

I think my favourite album has to be Plus by Ed Sheeran so here's Lego House

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 18

A Book I Could Read Over and Over Again

I'm going to say what everybody says, but I should read more.

My favourite book (series), to match my favourite film, has to be The Hunger Games.  I've only read it once and I would happily read it again if I had the time.  There are so many books out there though that I feel like I would be wasting my time if I did read the same books over and over again.  I want to read new stories and be taken on new adventures, not repeating the same ones.
My favourite book when I was a bit younger was Lionboy.  I got it for buying a certain number of books at once from what I can remember.  Lionboy was better than the books I actually bought.  I would love to read it again to see if I still find it a good book.


Song of the day: A song I wish I head on the radio

Wonka Bar by Charley Marley

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 17

My Highs and Lows of this Past Year

I feel like this is a great time for this topic.  I'm finishing college this next week and this is a great way to reflect on this past academic year.


The Highs

• Finding a flat was absolutely no problem this year.  Last year I nearly became homeless due to a scam so was so worried to possibly go through that stress again.  It didn't happen and my boyfriend and I officially moved in together in one of the preferred flats we looked at.
• My boyfriend has been brilliant.  I don't give him enough credit for what he actually does for me.  He's been so supportive and caring and I needed that so much.  He's my best friend.
• I got an A for my graded unit and possibly the best score in the class! (Either best or second best but still, an A!)
• I've actually made friends at college.  And they're all so different and brilliant in their own ways.  I finally don't feel as lonely.
• I've learnt to crochet.  I've only been doing it for a year and it's one of my favourite things to do now.
• I got to see Fall Out Boy again and I finally got to see The 1975
• I finally got into university! FINALLY!

The Lows

• My flatmate from last year ended up hating my guts and I still don't know why.  She refused to help clean when the lease ran out, didn't turn up to give the keys back and refused to pay towards extra cleaning and damage expenses.  I had to pay an extra few hundred cause of her and she never talked to me, or told me why she was unhappy with me.  She didn't stay there 80% of the time.
• I've put on more weight than I ever have...and I'm so unhappy with how I look again.
• Finding flats where my university is is starting to be a real struggle and I'm worried.
• I had to quit the job I just managed to get because they were so unprofessional and awful to new people and the way they worked.
• I'm running out of money because I didn't manage to get another part time job after that.
• One of my Shetland ponies, Tilda, passed away.
• My boyfriend and I had our first argument. 

Song of the day: A song that I hear often on the radio

There are a lot of songs that I hear often on the radio, like I said on my last post - they play the same songs every day.  But I'll choose one that I actually like that I hear it often.

Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 16

My Thoughts on Mainstream Music

Everyone has their own taste in music, something they love to dance to, sing to or just simply enjoy.  Everyone is different and that's what makes the world great.  That's what makes the music industry great.

I don't care if someone likes mainstream music but it's not always my cup of tea.  I think the main reason I'm not a fan of it is the fact it gets so over played.  A new song comes out and I think "Oh something new, I like it." But after hearing it 5 times a day for a couple weeks it gets boring.  I'm glad the music I mainly listen to isn't as well known.  It makes listening to it that much more special and more of a treat.

Also, mainstream music tends to give off a 'factory produced' sound.  They tend to sound similar, tend to not be written by the actual artist and they tend not to create any of the music either but just sing.  The brains behind the majority of a song get next to no credit and I'm not a fan of that.


Song of the day:  A song that I used to love but now hate

I overplayed this myself when I first discovered this song and it just irritates me now
Brokenhearted by Karmin

When thoughts get bad

I study Textiles at college and it includes a lot of fashion.  We had our fashion show yesterday and it was a huge success and I loved it.  We even went out for celebratory drinks afterwards.

Now all these photos from the night are up and my thoughts are getting bad again.

My mum showed me photos from the show that she took.  They were blurry because 1. it was on an old phone and 2. it was my mum taking it.  The clearer photo though, it was awful.  I couldn't believe how big I look, how horrible my shape is.

I went out on the town with three other girls after the fashion show.  It was sooo much fun and they were just brill, awesome friends.  The photos though.  I would rather look like any one of them and being next to them made me look even more gross than I already am.  I try hide my teeth cause I hate them, it ends up looking like I'm pouting stupidly.  In one photo I actually blinked and it made me look so drunk it's embarrassing.

My lecturer also asked me to get my photo taken with two other girls for this professional photographer.  I've just seen a photo from it and I nearly cried and I feel like I could throw up.  I hate how I looked so much.  Why weren't any of the other girls in my class chosen?  They would have looked better and made such a better job than I did.

When people take my photo I act like I don't care and I'm happy with whatever photo.  Truth is I know I'll look awful no matter how many times you try so I'm not going to waste your time.

My boyfriend hates it when I think like this so I'm letting it out on here.  I may regret this later but I need to at this moment.  He thinks I'm beautiful and I believe that he does, but I don't think I am.  I know I'm not.  I think I do so much creative work, gain new skills and learn new things, to compensate for my looks.  I believe I am talented with my art and I want it to distract from what I look like.

I'm just extremely jealous of pretty much every girl I know and would do anything to look more like them.

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 15

15 Interesting Facts About Me

1. My sisters and my boyfriend are my best friends and only best friends.
2. My family owns about 40 Shetland ponies, all with names.  They are adorable and you should check out my blog solely for them - http://www.brygarth.tumblr.com
3. I don't like pretty much any green food, including mint which people find weird.
4. Give me a block of ham and a bottle of Irn Bru and I'm a happy Helen.
5. A few things I'm obsessed about: Hunger Games, Back to the Future, Snoopy, Skyrim, Just Dance.
6. I love crocheting and knitting
7. I am super lazy but if I'm not doing anything productive or creative I feel guilty
8. I didn't start wearing makeup until I was 17
9. I am unbelievably shy and insecure but when I get comfortable with people I can be really loud and annoying.
10. Despite being only 5ft3 I take aaaages to get drunk unless I take like 5 shots one after the other.
11. I'm constantly trying to make people proud of me.
12. I still miss my Granddad. I even cry sometimes, even though he died 10 years ago.
13. If I'm learning something new and I don't click with it quickly I get annoyed and don't want to do it ever again.  With arty things it comes naturally which is why it's the only thing I want to do.
14. I love films and tv shows that make me feel strong emotion.  Whether that's sadness, happiness, feeling scared or disgusted so much I want to throw up.  Anything.
15. I hate people in general.  I can tolerate 10% of people so count yourself lucky if you're one of them.

Song of the day: A song that describes me

I really relate to the song Brave by Sara Bareilles

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 14

My Earliest Memory

My first memories are mainly from nursery.  From the songs we sang in a circle to playing with toy kitchens.  But the earliest one I can remember was actually from playschool when I was 3, I think.  I had a best friend in playschool called Emma and I remember going over to her house to play.  We played hungry hippos and I was so excited as I'd never played hungry hippos before and I had wanted to for 'ages'.  It felt ages to me alright, a few months was a long time for a 3 year old.  I know this was in playschool as she moved away by the time I was in nursery at 4 years old.

Other memories include my little sister being born when I had just turned 4 and I wanted to call her Lucy.  Or that at nursery we each got a toothbrush to use in the middle of the day and they each had a sticker.  I was so jealous of whoever got the dolphin one.  I also remember my dad being late to pick me up from nursery and the teachers, or whoever you want to call them, had to keep me amused with these stepping stones they laid out on the ground.  When my dad got there I was all 'Thank God this was boring the hell out of me'.  Obviously that's not what 4 year old me said but it was totally what I was thinking.


Song of the day: A song that no one would expect me to love

Sugar Sugar by The Archies

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 13

Somewhere I'd Like to Move to or Visit

Somewhere I really want to go is America.

I've been there once before, when I was about 8, and we went to Orlando and did the Disney, Universal Studios, Bush Gardens thing.  It was my favourite holiday.  It was magical and I'll never forget it.

I want to go back and do a road trip.  All the top spots, new york, LA, San Fran, Las Vegas, Orlando again.  I want to go to the amusement parks and the nerdy conventions and museums and fashion weeks.  Just everything.  It's a dream.

I would hate to live there.

There are so many reasons I'm not happy with the UK, but it's amazing compared to 90% of countries in the world.  Most Americans think America is everything and is the top dog.  Especially recently, it's being questioned.  The gun law in particular has been really annoying me recently.  It seems that a lot of people in America think guns are needed so that when people get into these situations where someone else is firing, they can protect themselves.  There's a flaw in your logic there.  If they were illegal to carry and difficult to get a hold of then horrible people wouldn't be able to start these awful shootings or acts of terrorism.  America has more people dead due to shootings in the past 50 days than the UK has had in the past 50 years.  Is this not proof that our gun laws are more effective than yours?  If no one had a gun, no one would need guns to protect themselves.  This frightens me to even visit America now, let alone live there.

Also, this presidential election has basically been an IQ test for America and let me tell you, you're failing.  If Trump becomes president I'm going to be so scared and I'm not even in America.  How are people this stupid, racist and sexist to vote for him?  "Trump says what everyone is thinking."  No.  If that's what you're thinking then you're homophobic, racist, sexist and just a plain rude human being.

Or Italy, I'd like to visit Italy.


Song of the day: A song that is a guilty pleasure

A thousand miles by Vanessa Carlton

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 12

Bullet Point My Whole Day

I'm going to do yesterday (Monday) as obviously all of today hasn't happened yet.

• Got up at 8:20am, got dressed, had bran flakes, did my make up, hair and teeth
• Left home at 9:30am to get to college for 10am start
• At college I finished making my trousers for the fashion show, added a leather waistband and a side zip. I then finished my development work for my neck piece I'm designing and creating.
• Lunch at 12:15 until 1
• Started work on my final neck piece where I was crocheting using the bobble stitch
• At 3pm the class went, along with the other textile classes, to the stage room to rehearse our fashion show schedule and walk
• Left at 4pm to go get some errands for my boyfriend and visited him at his work
• Got home about 5:20 where I played Skyrim until my boyfriend got home at 6:30pm and dinner at about 7:30pm
• Nearly fell asleep...
• Watched Great British Sewing Bee at 9pm and straight after First Dates Abroad
• Updated blog stuffs
• Played some more Skyrim
• Went to bed about 1ish which is my usual sort of bedtime (yes I know it's bad. Sometimes it can be 3am so)

Song of the day: A song from a band I hate

Any really heavy rock, screamo sort of stuff, I'm also fussy when it comes to rap, or Nickelback

Photograph by Nickelback

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 11

Put your Ipod on shuffle and write the first 10 songs that pop up

I used my spotify playlist as that's a more updated list of music than my ipod

Shots by Imagine Dragons

Five Colours In Her Hair by McFly

I See Fire by Ed Sheeran

Don't Stop Me Now cover by McFly

You Won't Feel A Thing by The Script

If I Were Sorry by Frans (Sweden's entry to Eurovision 2016)

Written Songs by Original Rudeboys

Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

Stay Out by Nina Nesbitt

Hey Now by Matt and Kim

But the song of the day: A song from my favourite band

I have a few favourite bands which include McFly, The Maine, The 1975, The Script, Fall Out Boy, Twenty One Pilots etc but I'll go for a song by The Maine as less people know them and I haven't featured them in song of the day yet

Am I Pretty by The Maine

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 10

My Guilty Pleasures

I don't have many guilty pleasures per say but I'll rack my brain for some.

Cheesy pop songs
The kind of upbeat, early 00s songs about being happy or dreams or flying and really random stuff.  Like S Club 7 or Spice Girls, that sort of ones.  The type of song that you can't help but sing and dance to and that make you feel 10 years old again.

Minecraft
Cause people think it's quite a childish game but oh it's so fun.  It's like an advanced version of lego and I love it.

Cuddly toys
In particular I have a Build-a-bear version of Snoopy that my boyfriend got me and I actually need to sleep cuddling him every night and when I wake up I'm still cuddling him.  I'm a bit obsessed but he's so lovely and has a heart that smells of chocolate.  But I feel like such a child carrying him about but he's so lovely and I don't have a real dog yet so he'll have to do.

I honestly can't think of anything else.  It's mainly things that I loved when I was younger that I still love now.  I don't really feel guilty about that though.


Song of the day: A song that makes me fall asleep

Kiss me by Ed Sheeran

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 9

If I Could Have Any Job in the World What Would it Be?

I actually covered this in a vlog I did a couple years ago.

To go well with the song of the day, a dream job of mine would be the costume designer for the video game Just Dance.  I am obsessed with this game and know 80% of the dances move for move.  So much thought gets put into the costumes and I love the stories behind each one.

I would love to be a textile/print designer for a large company.  I don't think I could cope with owning my own company but would love to work for a successful one.  I have a growing passion for textiles and I'm determined to make into a career.  I believe that if you have a job you love, you will be happy.  If it means you have a cramped flat, live away from family, a wage just big enough to get by, if it's a job you love going to then it doesn't matter.  That's where I want to be. Happy.

Song of the day: A song that I can dance to

One of my favourite ones from the Just Dance game series is Wild Wild West by Will Smith

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 8

A Moment I Felt Most Satisfied With My Life

I'm only 20 so I have a while left to feel satisfied with my life.  To be honest I have never felt completely content with my life but the closest to it could be now.

I'm going to be real here. For over 10 years of my life I was bullied.  There wasn't much physical bullying until early high school but a lot of name calling, a lot of pulling hair, taking advantage of the fact I was too shy to speak up or fight back.  I was 5 when I first started to get called names so I got used to it.  Despite all this I was pretty happy at the beginning of high school.  I had my best friend, I had made tonnes of new friends and there was a big group of us together every day.  Obviously that didn't last.  One girl in the group managed to turn everyone, including my best friend of  10 years, against me.  They picked on me, made me cry, were rude to me, made fun of me, and I still don't know why to this day.  I lost all my friends and was still getting bullied.  Thankfully a couple of girls said I could hang about with them at school.  You know who you are and thank you, so much.

The end of high school I struggled with self image.  I can't say I was depressed as I never went to a doctor and I'm sure people have gone through worse so I never made a fuss about seeing one, but I was close to it.  Crying every night, hating myself, how I looked, my personality and I regret doing some things.  I was always a top student but my final year of school, my teachers gave up trying to teach me and even for my best subject, art, I just scraped a pass.

After high school I struggled to get into uni while every one else was off getting their degree.  I've had three years of college, which have been so much fun and probably the best years of my life despite getting rejected from every university for 3 years.  College was where I discovered myself, I gained confidence, the bullying stopped, and felt normal.  This third year of college, away from home, has been the best.  I've finally made new friends who have been brilliant and I wish we were closer sooner.  I've developed my own style of working.  I've moved in with my first boyfriend and he makes me so happy. AND even though it's just into first year again, I've finally got into university.


Song of the day: A song that I know all the words to

There are a lottt but here's one - Pencil Full of Lead by Paolo Nutini

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 7

Toys from my childhood

I think I was very lucky as a child. I got a lot of lovely toys and having two sisters also meant we could all share toys and spend time together.

One thing we loved doing was creating scenes and stories that would last days.  We'd set up houses, leaving some to our imagination, and leave them sitting in the exact same spots until we got bored of the story and wanted to start a new one.  We loved doing this with Bratz dolls, Schleich animals or Playmobil especially.  We would take over my whole bedroom with chairs and tables for Bratz houses, the whole sitting room with 'caves' and 'lakes' for animals.  I have so many fond memories of these games.

We also loved our stuffed toys.  We would have names for every single one of them (as most kids do) and since I'm the oldest, I would create voices and personalities for each of them.  I would make them talk to my sisters and each other and create games with them.  God I was a good sister ;)

I had one stuffed bear that I named Uvu that I would make clothes for.  He had his own section in my wardrobe on baby coat hangers and his own suitcase.  I think this was a point where I discovered I loves textiles without even realising it.  I would constantly be making things as well, from cardboard 'locks' for my bedroom door, paper jewellery to try and sell to my family to cereal box CD racks that i actually still use!  I was a very creative child.

When I got older I started loving video games on the computer and my gameboy.  I stopped playing them when I was about 13 but recently really got back into them as my boyfriend I'm pretty sure has every single game.  Yes it is a perk.


Song of the day: A song that reminds me of a certain event

It has to be a concert.  For every concert I've seen there's at least one song that whenever I hear it, I'm brought back to that night.  I'm going to go for The Apple Tree by Nina Nesbitt