saturday scribbles

the majority of my doodling this week took place earlier in the week as towards the end i started to become busy with the exhibition and general end-of-year-fun, so if you've already spied these on my instagram i do apologise!

this week my focus has been on further developing my dogs using the medium of coloured pencil as i've found that me and watercolour no longer get along due to my sheer impatience. i seem to work my best when it's honest, a bit gutsy and raw, so i'm trying to loosen up when doodling in the hope that i'll be able to start working in a way that screams "wow, my five year old could do that!" when in actual fact, your five year old could not do that, ya know? while doodling, i've also been working my way through a zine idea, so throughout the summer hopefully i'll be able to turn that into something tangible to keep me busy and hopefully add to my portfolio!

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exhibition snippets

while browsing the end of year exhibition today and on tuesday, although i had a good ol' mooch around i didn't get the chance to take many pictures due to dedicated wine drinking, feeling a bit foolish and distractions in general, however i did manage to snap a few pictures of the corner of the exhibition where second year work was being exhibited and thought i'd share a few pictures with you all to give you a feel for what the rest of the exhibition holds. there was plenty to browse in terms of typography, motion and branding, however there seemed to be a lack of illustrative work compared to last year's show which for me was obviously a little disheartening, but prompts me to make sure i have plenty of lovely pictures to contribute to the overall exhibition next year.

and with that concludes second year! what an absolutely mental year it's been.

 

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this or that: lip exfoliators

e.l.f. lip exfoliator: £3.75 / lush popcorn lip scrub: £5.50

as far as lip exfoliators go, i can't say i'm all that clued up; to my knowledge, there are three popular options: the well loved lush lip scrubs, the e.l.f. lip exfoliator and a body shop lip exfoliator, and of the three i've mentioned, i've only ever branched out enough to try two of them. that being said, i'm thinking perhaps the apparent lack of options available on the high street is due to the success of the limited options available to us all; why fix something if it ain't broken, eh?

i first purchased the the e.l.f. lip exfoliator around this time last year, it being the first i'd ever tried, and from then i haven't looked back. it's one of those items that quickly found its way into my daily routine and got me wondering how the hell i'd ever gone about my normal makeup routine without it by my side, so it came as no surprise to me when i purchased another within the year. then, as the makeup junkie within me took over, i decided to pick up a lush lip scrub on a whim on boxing day to try out, and since then i've been using both products intermittently to keep my lips in top form.

i find it hard to actually pick a favourite of the two items; the e.l.f. product is compact, somewhat easier to transport and definitely less messy than the lush product, but i still find myself reaching for the lush option because it smells and tastes delicious, provides a thorough scrub of your lips and seems to last a lifetime. the e.l.f. product isn't unpleasant in taste or smell, but the cocoa taste can often be a little overpowering, and sometimes the lipstick-like formula of the product can be a little bit too abrasive on lips that only need a little bit of a scrub.

for the above reasons, i keep one of each product within my makeup bag at any one time, using the e.l.f. product occasionally when my lips are in dire need of saving, and using the lush product on a pretty much daily basis when my lips just need to be perfected a little before applying my lipstick. both products are fantastic value for money, having lasted me now for 5+ months and not even being half used, so once again i'm finding it hard to say for sure that you should buy one item over the other. i suppose in terms of availability, the lush option might be easier to get a hold of as it's a) available on the high street, and b) the lip exfoliator is an e.l.f. favourite (meaning it frequently sells out online so you can often be waiting weeks before you can even place an order for one!), so if you're looking for convenience, opt for lush. if time isn't an issue, give e.l.f. a go and save a couple of quid, but all in all, you'll be receiving a fantastic product whichever you opt for.

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bank holiday listening: grouplove

grouplove first came to my attention back in 2011 after hearing their song tongue tied on one of those notorious apple ipod adverts, and since then it's been nothing but happy listening. a month or so back i decided to check out if the band had been up to much since their debut album, and to my delight they'd released a new album back in 2013 that had totally slipped under my radar. after a couple of listens via youtube i was well and truly hooked and quickly made sure to add the album to my itunes.

now, i'm terrible at talking about music so i'm not going to attempt to talk about the albums, but what i will say is that both albums are perfect for summertime listening, so it came as no surprise to me to learn that the band are from sunny los angeles. whether i'm out walking ziggy, driving around with my windows down or just chilling out in the sunshine, their music seems to go hand in hand with soaking up the sun in a pair of sandals and sunglasses. their music's mainly upbeat and energetic, and i think it marries so well with the warm weather for me because the summertime fills me with the same energy, motivation and happiness that their music seems to hold.

i'll not babble on for any longer and let you have a listen and decide whether or not they're for you. i'd personally say that if you're into stuff along the lines of foster the people and crystal fighters, you'll probably have a soft spot for grouplove, too. if you do like what you hear, please feel free to nip round with a deck chair and some fruity cider and i'll happy sit out in the sun listening along with you!

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sunday synopsis

sunday again? already? it's weird for me to realise time's still passing as quickly as ever because most days this week i've spent lazing around hoping for time to pass just that little bit quicker because i've got absolutely zero responsibilities/deadlines at the minute. i've been using my time to exercise, doodle, browse the internet and lay on my bed vacantly wondering what else i can do to occupy my time because my housemate's been at home and i've been home alone with no one to laze around watching a disgusting amount of films with (it's just not the same when you do it on your own.)

on the bright side, next week sees the opening of the end of year exhibition, so if all else fails i'll be able to have a wander around there every day and pretend like i'm there because it's endlessly fascinating, not because i'm mindlessly bored... that said, i did love having a good mooch around last year's exhibition, so i can't see it being any different this year! plus there's the extra bit of fuzziness i'll no doubt feel when i lay eyes on my own banner. i feel like a mother waiting to give birth, just anticipating the moment i get to clap eyes on my baby... okay, perhaps not, but it's exciting for me nonetheless!

my plans for the rest of the day involve heading out in the rain for coffee because i just needed an excuse to get dressed, do my make up and leave the house. at least when i'm home for the summer my ticket out of the house comes in the form of a small, fuzzy, sassy little miss who goes by the name of ziggy.

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saturday scribbles

i know, i know, i'm terrible. i'm well aware that the majority seem to actively oppose alliteration, but little old me just can't get enough of it. i'm not entirely sure, but it's simple and can be silly and it communicates on a level that i'm happy with an- yeah, i'm gonna stop. rambles aside, it's the introduction of a new weekly post here on my blog: saturday scribbles!

now i've done with uni for the year, i'll be moving back home and attempting to stay as inspired, motivated and claw-handed as possible, so i thought a feature on my blog ought to be encouragement enough for me to not get lazy and let creativity take a back seat throughout the summer, because if it did, i'd have to clock in to let you know about it, uh oh! whether it's one doodle or a dozen, i'll be sharing whatever it is i've been scribbling throughout the previous week to ensure my creative juices keep on keepin' on. plus it helps to incorporate a little more illustration work into my blog, which can only ever be a good thing (in my eyes, at least.)

okay, so! this week i've been doodling new blog design plans and an abundance of doggies. i've wanted to revamp my blog for a while now just because it's generally a fun project and i think it's helpful to keep my blog style up-to-date with my illustrative style, so i figured summer's the perfect time to jump right in. i've also been working (very slowly, may i add) on an a-z of lots of doggies. a-z illustration projects are very popular, however i'm not surprised because it gives you a wide range of things to draw; even within a single species there are so many variations! even though it's been done over and over again, i think it's a fun mini project that really helps you to develop your visual language and clearly set aside your work from that of others.

and there we have it, there are my offerings from the previous week! i hope you'll jump on board with this feature and enjoy the little peeks into my sketchbook that i'll now be sharing.

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90s daisies

 crop top: new look

jacket: primark

belt: primark

jeans: topshop (via ebay)

bag: primark

socks: primark

shoes: dr marten

as the sun's taken itself away for a while, we've approached the awkward rainy-but-not-cold weather, so today i've had to take back to my bedroom to take my outfit snaps to avoid getting drenched – ah well, it was nice while it lasted! today i seem to have thrown together my most '90s inspired' outfit to date, teaming up my choker, docs and mom jeans for an altogether slouchy, somewhat boyish outfit.

i'm going out shopping to a retail park today, so a pair of jeans and a light jacket mean i'll be able to head in and out of shops without overheating too badly and without feeling silly for having worn a skirt with no tights on this somewhat gloomy day, although the fact that the weather's overcast in no way dictates how warm it is out, but hey ho!

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e.l.f. | studio matte lip colour in nearly nude

e.l.f. studio matte lip colour: £3.95

ah, matte lip colours, nothing scares me quite like the thought of them, however for some reason i was once feeling brave when placing an e.l.f. order and threw one of their matte lip colours into my basket to give a whirl.

to be honest, i've been really pleasantly surprised by this product. when i think of matte lip colours, i think of dry, flaky, unattractive lips, however the formula of this product seems to ensure that you end up with the absolute opposite end result. the product has a very small, rounded nib, and the formula itself is really soft and creamy with a subtly delicious taste - yes, taste! my initial suspicions when first using the product would be that to apply it onto a lip balm base would produce the best effect, however i was wrong. with a balm underneath, the product seems to stick to it and creates that unattractive, harsh line around the inner edge of your bottom lip (not attractive!), so since then i've been applying it directly onto unaided lips, and for the most part it applies well.

i've found that applying the product from the inner side of your lip outwards in a vertical fashion (as though you were following the small lines of your lips) seems to provide the best results, leaving you with an all over, even coating free of cracks or lines, however give it an hour or so and the product will, unfortunately, start to wear off. i notoriously have trouble finding nude shades that don't leave lines on my lip, so i'm not sure if it's the colour of the product that makes for this result, or the formula itself. that said, the product certainly isn't unpleasant to apply or wear, so i'll be making the most of this product while it lasts. i can't say that i'll definitely be buying any more of e.l.f.'s matte lip colours, but i certainly wouldn't rule them out of future purchases altogether.

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say hello to my new boyfriend... jacket

 jacket: new look

choker: lilac edge

top: charity shop

skirt: new look

bag: primark

socks: primark

dr. martens: ebay

after its wild stint over the weekend, it seems as though the sun's turned shy again and decided to take a backseat behind the clouds today. that said, the weather's still been pleasantly warm so bare legs are still an option when teamed up with this lightweight boyfriend jacket i picked up from the new look sale last week. i didn't particularly need a new coat, but for £16 and being pleasantly surprised by how the boyfriend style looked on me, i thought it'd be foolish to leave it behind as it was the last one sat on the rail. i also picked these docs up on ebay over the weekend for just £20 which is insane for a pair of dr marten shoes! i'm now the proud owner of these wonderful t-bar shoes and some dr marten boots, both of which i've managed to pick up for less than £40 between them thanks to savvy ebay and charity shop hunting, yippee!

today's been a fairly easygoing day as i headed into uni to hand in all my year two work that's going to be assessed by an external examiner (turns out a year's worth of work is bloody heavy though!) and i collected my huge a0 sized banner that's to be hung up for the end of year exhibition next tuesday. to say i'd blown my images up from around 7cm wide to 97 cm wide, i'm pretty blummin' impressed with the quality of the images on the banner! i'm so, so, so excited to head in next week and see it hung alongside other second year work and i'm crazy proud of the work i've produced this year, it really has been a test, but definitely a worthwhile one!

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sunday synopsis

well, would ya look at that? i caught the very end of the mirrored selfie bandwagon and managed to jump on! looks like there's no going back now...

the last week's been a rather pleasant one indeed! monday saw the end of second year, tuesday saw a celebratory night out, wednesday saw me head home, and thursday saw my car fail its mot... wait, that breaks the chain, doesn't it? i may be £100 down, but with a car that's still in good working order at 15 years old i suppose i should be grateful that the only problems with it are minor wear and tear issues that are inevitable! here's to another few happy and healthy years with the pea, hurrah!

onwards from there, this weekend i've had the grand title of 'doggy sitter' as my family have been away soaking up the sunshine in, erm, glorious(?) skeggy. it's not all been bad from my end however as i do love a bit of 'me' time, and with the weather having been so great i've enjoyed a few long doggy walks, chilled out in the garden and got a bit of doodling done. i've also been prepping a banner of my picture book work because i found out earlier in the week that i've been chosen to exhibit my work alongside a few other second years in the end of year exhibition, yippee! i'm very much looking forward to seeing a couple of my characters blown up and 'existing' outside of my picture book, i'm just hoping the printing and transporting process of the banner goes smoothly, so fingers crossed!

tonight i'm heading back up to middlesbrough for my last couple of weeks as a second year, and i'm really hoping the weather continues in a fashion similar to how it's been these last few days as our end of year party's happening at the end of may and sunshine would really help to make the day! teesside uni won an mtv competition to win 50k for the event and i've heard rumours of a couple of acts that may be playing, and although they're just rumours at the minute, i'd be very happy if these rumours turned out to be truth, but we'll see!

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a walk in the sun

hat: matalan (old)

dress: charity shop

necklaces: lilac edge

bag: primark

shoes: primark

i could combust with joy today because the weather is just so blummin' nice! it didn't take me long to throw on my sandals and a light dress to make the most of the sun by taking ziggy out for a nice long walk down the canal (which is a surprisingly nice walk during the summer.) beforehand i decided to get some summery snaps, however the neighbours next door were outside soaking up the sun so i had to make do with taking pictures inside; i can't begrudge them wanting to enjoy the sun, right? while doing so, ziggy was growing more and more impatient demanding her walkies and decided to make a brief appearance in a couple of my pictures, to which i thought "to hell with it!" and dragged her in for some loving family style pics, aww.

i recently gave in somewhat to the nineties revival and ordered myself a couple of chokers from my friend alice's online shop lilac edge. since receiving my order i've been ever so glad i eventually succumbed to the trend as i feel that a choker can bring a whole new dimension to outfits i previously wore with various longer necklaces, and as a person who gets bored of outfits very easily it's handy to be able to revive an outfit so simply and for next to nothing!

all that said, i'm off now to kick back in the garden with a sketchbook. i hope you're enjoying the glorious sunshine yourselves!

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