Sorry!

HELLO,

I realise I haven't posted in ages!

This is because my laptop has broken (it is so plagued with viruses now that a pop up comes up when I try to download the antivirus), and I just noticed my phone hasn't actually been publishing any of my posts. I will try to fix this, and post more often, it's just difficult due to lack of a laptop and lack of time! I've had a few uni interviews recently and I've been working on my portfolio, but that's all finished now so I can focus more on school work (yay) and of course, my blooooog!

Lots of love

🌸 Indy 🌸

Newcastle

Sorry for not posting in a while! I thought this had published like a month ago but my phone seems to be struggling with such a big post. Anyway, my boyfriend, Robbie, left for university to study civil engineering a couple of weeks ago, so this weekend I went to stay with him.

I had work on the Saturday so got the train there after quickly packing a bag. Something goes wrong literally every time I get a train (I won't go into this!) so I wasn't surprised to hear that there had been a landslide between Carlisle and Newcastle that morning, meaning our train was stuck for around an hour! I was quite disappointed as it meant I arrived in Newcastle at 8 PM.

Shoes: River Island

Playsuit: Topshop

Jacket: Vintage

Headphones: Urbanears

The sky did look really pretty as we stopped, and I listened to some music and did some doodles in my sketchbook.

Once I finally arrived, we went to Handmade Burger Co. for our tea. I got the BBQ beef burger and it was sooo good. The burger is enough to fill you up alone, so our chips and sweet corn were hardly touched. We then went back to Robbie's halls (I was amazed at how much it looked like a prison, turns out the architect of the building is also known for designing prisons) and met some of his roommates.

On the Sunday we woke up, got ready and went to meet his parents who had also come to visit. We walked into Newcastle and looked around some of the shops, I bought these two things from the Urban Outfitters sale;

I was so pleased when I found this bag as I've been looking for an envelope type one for ages, and it was such a good price for £15!

I've also wanted this book for a while as I do need to develop my fashion drawing skills. It was only £6, and gives some really good ideas of things to draw, such as "Cher, circa 1970," "a lacy bra" and "backstage at a fashion show." I'll probably show you some of my drawings once they're done!

I picked up this copy of the Urban Outfitters' 'newspaper,' a great publication full of contemporary art and photography! The inside is all colour too so I might hang some pages on my wall.

We had a little look around the markets next to the Tyne, they sell some cool stuff! Lots of soaps and vintage clothes. We also saw someone bungee jump from a ridiculous height above the river.

Mosaic / mirror shop!

We went to the restaurant at the top of the Baltic for Sunday dinner. It was actually lovely! I didn't take a photo of my starter as it looked like a pile of leaves (I had mussel salad) but the food was so good, and we had the nicest rose wine ever.

For main I had mullet / parsnip / potato. The sauce under the parsnips tasted like a sambuca-based sauce they use in a local restaurant we go to, it's amazing.

For dessert I had blackberry sorbet with champagne cream, also tasted lovely. For some reason sorbet makes me feel less full, so I always choose it after a big meal. The view from the loo was also really cool, it was like being on a balcony as the wall was just huge windows.

(I've realised I'm talking a lot about food, but it was too nice to skip out!)

After the meal we went down a few floors to look at the art. There was an exhibition there by Daniel Buren, who experiments with lights, colour, reflection and stripes to create bright installations.

Top: Topshop

Skirt: H&M

After this, we went back to look around some more shops but they were all closing, so we went back to Robbie's and got ready to leave. :( I was so glad to be getting a lift home from his parents, I'm beginning to hate trains more each time I use them, and I find car journeys really relaxing.

I had a lovely weekend, it was so good to see Robbie again, as it's strange not seeing him every day any more! It's also made me so excited for next year, as I'm hoping to go to Northumbria and absolutely love Newcastle. I'll be going to stay with him for a bit longer in half term, so I can't wait for that either as we can do so much more.

🌸 Indy 🌸

101 Ways to Stay Creative

Last night I received a message on Tumblr asking for advice on how to stay creative, and I realised how this is a problem for many people (including myself). So I decided to compile this list to refer back to, and to possibly inspire anyone who may actually read it...

1. Read lots of books to enhance your vocabulary.
2. Keep a sketchpad / notebook with you at all times.
3. ...And a camera.
4. Stay up too late.
5. Drink coffee - it makes you happy and gives you energy!
6. Travel.
7. Make mind maps.
8. Create endless amounts of Pinterest boards. Follow Pinterest boards. Become addicted to Pinterest...
9. Listen to alternative music genres - electronica, dark wave, house, ambient, experimental.
10. Make checklists of the things you want to do.
11. Stick pictures of things you love on your bedroom walls.
12. Take photos of everything you feel inspires you.
13. Experiment with different media - watercolour, graphite, oil paint, pastels, collage.
14. Go for a run.
15. Clear your workspace. Or leave it messy - whichever you work best with. But I find I can't work in a cluttered space (mainly because there is no space to actually work).
16. Don't try to impress.
17. Meditate.
18. Research artists / designers.
19. Create a moodboard of something that inspires you.
20. Watch films.
21. Do not rush things!
22. Make the best out of your mistakes, e.g. if you accidentally slip and scribble a line over your very perfect drawing, make something out of the line.
23. Keep a dream diary. Write as soon as you wake up so you don't forget.
24. Break the rules.
25. Doodle.
26. Write a list of things to draw.
27. Don't be a perfectionist.
28. Read non-fiction books on your subject of choice - art, fashion, etc.
29. Have a late night wander with your headphones on.
30. Read magazines.
31. Listen to songs from your childhood. I used to download all Mum's iTunes music onto my iPod and so I was brought up on 80s/90s music like Pixies and The Smiths.
32. Change up your makeup routine. Use colour where you don't normally.
33. Find some DIY projects to do.
34. Press flowers.
35. Be yourself. Don't do anything you don't want to do.
36. Discover alternative fashion trends - seapunk, minimalism, 90s grunge, preppy, bohemian, avant-garde, lolita,  revival of the 60s... There is an extensive list of fashion styles here.
37. Sign up to a local craft class.
38. Go charity shopping.
39. Get away from the internet for a day and see what you can do with your time.
40. Make a playlist for someone.
41. Read poetry.
42. Buy a funky hat.
43. Do something new every day.
44. Look through people's sketchbooks.
45. Go to a festival!
46. Make a list of inspirational quotes.
47. Get a Lomography camera and follow the rules.
48. Grow flowers in your garden.
49. Look at people's workspaces. Use ideas to enhance your own spaces.
50. Dye your hair a quirky colour.
51. Take a half-hour nap to revive your creativity.
52. Complete a 'Wreck This Journal'!
53. Go to the cinema alone.
54. Have a long bath surrounded by candles.
55. Drink green tea, it takes lovely and it's healthy too.
56. Have a 'blind date with a book' - go to your local bookshop and buy the first book you see.
57. Draw something new every day.
58. Visit local art galleries / museums. Sit down and enjoy your time there.
59. Take a drive in the rain.
60. Change your journey routines - get the bus to work if you usually walk, bike to school if you usually get a lift.
61. Say 'yes' to new opportunities and possibilities.
62. Design your dream tattoo, even if you don't go through with it.
63. Click the 'random article' link on Wikipedia until you find something that interests you and read the whole article.
64. Educate yourself about a new culture.
65. Spend a night camping in your back garden - minus a tent.
66. Take up a new hobby - embroidery, gardening, cooking...
67. See your favourite bands live.
68. Go 'people watching' - sit on a bench in town or watch from the window of a cafe.
69. Burn incense.
70. Talk to creative people.
71. Listen to your favourite music.
72. Create a time capsule to open in ten years. Include: a letter to your future self, a doodle inspired by your favourite song, a recent photo of yourself, a quote you feel deeply about and something small from your bedroom.
73. Learn how to lucid dream.
74. Start a blog.
75. Decorate an old jacket with badges and patches.
76. Eat foods you wouldn't normally try.
77. Visit all the places in your town that you haven't been to before.
78. Attend car boot sales. Buy things to decorate your room or workspace with.
79. Go on a long bije ride!
80. Create new words for colours that you see - e.g. 'Palma Violet lilac' or 'Pistachio green' and make a colour book.
81. Find out the Dictonary 'word of the day' and write a poem based on that word.
82. Have the occasional lazy day.
83. Create a scrapbook diary. Include tickets, receipts, wrappers and other things you encounter each day.
84. Throw a party.
85. Stock up on new flavours of herbal tea.
86. Focus on the present.
87. Make a gift for someone you appreciate.
88. Read biographies of people that inspire you.
89. Practice the things you want to be good at.
90. Focus on the positives in life! Write a list of reasons to be happy.
91. Go to Ikea and find something to revamp in a way that represents you.
92. Assume that you can do anything.
93. Get plenty of sleep.
94. Read the '365 Days of Inspiration' book by Lizzie Cornwall - a few ideas on here are taken from there, it's a really cute book full of quotes and ideas.
95. Make a 'dream collage' of all the things you want to achieve. Refer to it whenever you feel like giving up.
96. Use a thesaurus to learn new words to use in everyday situations.
97. Make your own fruit juice.
98. Write down negative thoughts as they enter your head. Then scribble them out.
99. Make new friends and let them share the things they love with you.
100. Smile more.
101. Make some of these tips your new resolutions to stay creative!

I love: ROOKIE

Rookie is a website / annual magazine for teen girls, featuring a multitude of cool stuff including music, dreamy editorials, fiction, diary entries, playlists interviews, and much more (you even get stickers in the Rookie Yearbook Two)!

The fabulous Tavi Gevinson (above) founded the website AGE 12 and has remained the editor in the six years since. Her coolness is laced throughout each post and the whole greatness of Rookie is due to her undying dedication. The fact that she has been able to achieve so much at such a young age, all while juggling school and other commitments makes her one of the people that inspires me the most.

Rookie bases their content around a different theme each month, some of which have included things like enchantment, work, play, paradise, mystery, freedom, drama, mythology... The list goes on.

Here are a few samples of what they feature in both their yearbook and on their website. I can only wish that everything they posted was in print though, as I prefer reading tangible things rather than web pages!

Camp Rookie and Meadham Kirchoff photoshoots by Eleanor Hardwick

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go shoot by Erica Segovia featuring Recollection Vintage clothing

BUY ROOKIE YEARBOOK ONE

BUY ROOKIE YEARBOOK TWO

You won't regret it, these have provided me with hours of entertainment and a ton of enlightenment and inspiration! Rookie Yearbook Three is to be released on October 21st and you will be able to buy it here.

Tattoo Ideas

I turn 18 in ten days and have been considering getting a tattoo done, but I've been stuck on what to get and where for ages. I want something small and cute but still meaningful. Here are some of my favourites from a Pinterest board I made a while ago.

Daisy symbolism;

INNOCENCE - linked to plucking the petals of a daisy and reciting, "he loves me, he loves me not."

"Fresh as a daisy."

A well known saying that reinforces the connotations of purity, as well as cleanliness and youth.

LOVE - the daisy is also a symbol associated with Norse love goddess, Freya, who has been connected to the fairy and spirit worlds in modern mythology due to her ability to travel to the nine cosmic Nordic worlds.

TRANSFORMATION - in the Roman myth of Vertumnus (god of seasons, nature and agriculture) and Belides (a dainty nymph), Vertumnus falls in love with Belides and proceeds to stalk her. Rather than offending Vetrumnus and denying her love for him, Belides transforms into a field of daisies to escape his obsession with her.

I find all this symbolic stuff really interesting, however there's also a vanity side to it - daisies are pretty and I would much like to have one decorate my body. Simple.

Serotonin

Little biology lesson here! I'm not the biggest fan of science but it does interest me, and this stuff is cool.

Serotonin is the neurotransmitter responsible for our feelings of happiness. Too little serotonin = sadness, so topping up our levels of serotonin makes us happy. It is found in caffeine, hence why a cup of coffee boosts our mood for a short period, and some anti-depressants. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are a form of anti-depressant that increases our levels of serotonin by blocking its passage back into the brain so that it remains in the synapse longer, where we can feel its effects.

This tattoo would have significant meaning to me as I suffered from depression for about two years, and recently recovered (in my opinion) due to the anti-depressants I was taking as well as support from friends and family.

This one is just lovely. Flower tattoos might be generic, but they're generic because people want to make themselves look attractive - and what's more attractive than a pretty flower?

Heart

When I was 12 (oh my gosh), a group of friends and I bought some Indian ink and sterilised some sewing needles. For reasons I still cannot work out today, we all decided to give ourselves stick and poke tattoos. I decided mine would be the ever so original love heart, where nobody would see. Halfway through poking a misshapen heart onto my knicker line, one of my friends spilled the whole jar of Indian ink, and we never dared go back to the shop to buy some more. So now I still have a wobbly half heart that looks more like a potato, and I need it fixing. P.S. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! My friend was so scared about hers that she had to bleach it off. Cue crying and lots of 12-year-old drama.

Scoliosis

Another daisy idea...

I think a small daisy chain would look really cute going up my back. I have a long scar running along my spine due to spinal fusion for scoliosis that I had about three years ago. While I'm not self-conscious about my scar whatsoever, I think it would be nice to decorate it in some way that relates to scoliosis.

Daisy chains are not straight, and nor is my spine. I think a daisy chain would make my scar look more appeasing while not looking perfect itself, showing that pretty things don't have to be faultless.

You can probably tell from this post that I'm not a fan of colour tattoos. This may change, but for now I like the simplicity of a black (or white) tattoo and the way it won't interfere with the harmony of what I decide to wear, as wearing clashing colours makes me feel mismatched and off balance. This is why I struggle to dress myself every morning!

Turkey

I am having a fab time in Turkey!! Here is a ton of pictures:

I bought this Innocent smoothie from the airport (I've never actually had one before) and it was beautiful! Very fruity and refreshing.

I also bought this Schwarzkopf volumising powder, I never thought it would work as it's so strange, but it really does, and it doesn't leave yor hair feeling sticky and looking greasy like hairspray does. You just rub a bit of the powder into your hands and work it into your roots, or for more volume you can just apply it directly to your hair. This only cost £3 and apparently lasts for 50 applications!

I also bought this Toni & Guy salt spray as I like my hair to be wavy (naturally my hair flicks out at the ends when it's short and I hate it). You apply this spray all over when your hair is dry. I find it best not to apply to straight hair as it doesn't work, but scrunch up your hair first as if you were drying it with a towel and then apply for texture and waves. 

Usually when makeup claims to last anything over 4 hours it's a complete lie, but this Maybelline lipgloss/stuff is amazing! I remember using some of my Mum's red one when I was younger and literally had to use a nail scrubber to remove just some of it. Basically you apply the colour lipgloss, and wait around 2 minutes for it to dry completely. Then you apply the conditioning stick whenever needed and the colour will last all day! You do need an oil based makeup remover to get this stuff off, I wish I'd realised this when I tried my Mum's...

I had bought this hat from Monsoon at the airport for £22. It's really cute and has this little charm necklace thing going around it!

Valley of the Dolls, a cult book by Jacqueline Susann is one of my holiday reads and it's really good so far! Very glam and follows the lives of three young women trying to climb the entertainment ladder. I wouldn't read the introduction if you buy this copy though, as it completely spoils the plot.

This is the grape vine at the front of the house. So pretty!

Dress: Topshop

This huge amethyst is at the front of a gem shop in Bodrum.

I bought this feather earring from another shop after having some cay tea there. It's really long and looks cool next to my lilacish hair but part of the feather snapped off!

There's a cute heart ice cube maker I found in the freezer to cool down our drinks.

A mosque in the sunset.

Pink windows / blue sky. 

This is me and Robbie with some of his Turkish family. We went to the ice cream / waffle place across the road from his Nene's house and I had black mulberry, sour cherry, peach, chocolate and lemon ice cream.

Bikini: Topshop

Mojito on the beach.

Photo from where we sat to eat at the beach restaurant.

Cool colourful chandelier and pretty tiles!

Lunch!

There's so many palm trees and plants here!

Bikini: Next

My tan!

Dress: Topshop

Necklace: Next

Found these fab New Balance trainers that I have wanted for ages in a sports shop!

The trees here were all painted white and had Turkish lamps on them! So cute. 

Sex on the beach! ;)

The pool this morning.

Skirt: DIY tie-dye

Shoes: New Balance

In love with my shoes!

Making Turkish bread at Robbie's Nene's house.