Hector The Pumpkin | Halloween 2015

Hello there ominous owls,

Halloween is hereafter, the supermarket pumpkins are beginning to rot and mutate into moldy sludge, and we're all unleashing our inner-animagi. Rather dismally, I must admit that I have not carved one of these bulbous, orange legumes for the past five-ish years. Seeing that I now both have the time and incentive to do so, I thought I'd finally give it a bash.
Despite having used an abnormally minuscule pumpkin, it made the entire ordeal quite a degree easier. Considering after a few days propped against a window-ledge, every effort would have decayed, therefore the prospect of hard work didn't seem to appeal to me. Anyhow, without further nattering, please welcome...

........Mr Hector and his somewhat deadpan buddy. At least I can say I contributed to Halloween this year, can't I? Either way, regardless of his furrowed appearance, it was carved at 10:30pm so that's my meager excuse.

How thrilling, what a night it is when your time consists of staring blankly into the depths of Hector's hollow eyes, as he burns from within, eventually falling limply into a pile of goop.

Nevertheless, it's presence does certainly bring a whole lotta' atmosphere. In all honestly, I don't think I've ever felt as autumnal/ spookily festive.

Also, here's a little tip. I would recommend carving a pumpkin atop a covered surface. I made the careless, fatal mistake of doing it on a carpet. Yes it is common sense, but clearly that is what I lack.

One more thing to mention, try not to use a huge knife, it may not end well and clearly doesn't allow for the best detailing or technique.
And with that, of course it must be said. Happy Halloween. My best wishes go out to everyone celebrating this year, particularly with the loss of trick or treater's these days. I only wish fiction became a reality in this instance, I think the majority of potterheads would jump at the thrill of a 'Troll, in the dungeons!' this October 31st.

Anyhow, enjoy the festivities and think of poor old Hector as he rots.

Love,

B x

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Have You Lost Your Life?

Hello there fallow deers,

Often breath becomes abstract, our presence a mere cloud yet hollow,

Obscured though strained, purportless and impaired,

Our heart blistered and bruised lilac, while the rope deceives to follow, 

Caged in our sultry sphere, only yearning and confounded,

Beings striding the earth with complacency, but alone,

For our self we abolish hope of that luxury, futile to stay grounded,

We have lost our life, molten from the ostensible flame of torture,

Unknown of the reality, sentience but cloaked in retreat,

To solve is to uncover, it lies beneath in fiery scorcher,

For life is to breathe, take note of ambiance and charm, 

Inapt is future and past, purpose is but a whisper,

All can harness the strength and will, needn't resort to harm,

Oaks be resilient, their cycles exist infinitely with grace,

Prancing forth through either path, a wild ballet by our toes,

Condition matters not, only our minds destined to embrace,

We find our life eternally within, a dwelling we scarcely peek,

Not once dominate did death, but simply beguile our health, 

Life thrives through our senses, painting what we seek.

I urge you to decode my wee' attempt at poetry, it holds a message which drives me on. We all lose hope, or perhaps in this sense feel as though we have lost our lives. Until all that remains is a tired soul, wandering day by day, closer to that cliff edge which tempts us to a close. Take note of what the poem speaks. Your story is important as anyone's, undefined and open to your blank canvas. Create, appreciate, meditate, breathe, look closely.

In other news (because it's always necessary to end on a high-note), I have recently discovered that this year my birthday falls on 'black Friday', a relatively new concept only introduced to the UK within the past few years. So, looks that that's going to be a squabble of a day.

Love,

B x

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Halloween 2015 | The Pixie

Hello there vampire bats,

Since I enjoyed the experimentation aspect of the last Halloween post, it only made sense to attempt yet another 'spooky' getup. Well, I say spooky, but evidently this particular look has taken a relatively mythical turn. Throughout my years I have, perhaps unfortunately, been labeled 'pixie-like' by a fair few. So therefore I have disturbingly given a whirl at this bizarre, nymph thingy-ma-gig. It's hardly necessary to point out that I am no professional, nor do I have a clue what I am doing and appear somewhat creepy. With that said, brace yourselves.

1   Prime, base layer of gold. Like a fairy has defecated all over your eyelids.

2  Darken crease with a mulberry and bring below waterline.

3  Use eyeliner (preferably not waterproof, as I idiotically did) to line eyes, bringing the inner corner further like an outward hook.

4  Fill in the hook from dark to light, gradient the colours out towards the center-ear level. Perhaps add some tawny browns and reds. I'm keeping the lids themselves more minimal as the crazy eyelashes will likely cover them.

5  Continue to darken to desired effect. I went all out and just smothered gold on the bridge of my nose and so on.

6  What the hell, just go mental.

7 Umber eye-shadow, eyebrows. *shrugs*

8  Oh good lord. My, I'm off one's rocker. Golden, tinsel-like lashes, Tanya Burr Lip-gloss, and tribal shadows.

9   The ears are from ASDA. (Walmart?) KILL IT. KILL IT WITH FIRE. Apologies for that, the images are rather unnerving. Anyhow, to all intents and purposes, the pixie look is complete. Hallelujah.

Well that's that. Halloween is closing in, and I have made my contribution. I hope you liked this... Creation.

Have a lovely week, I'm off to fly through the trees with goblins and such.

Love,

B x

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Ye Olde London | Saga Saturday

 Hello there grizzly bears,

Goodness me it is cold, as I am writing this in fact, I am snuggled by a radiator with two dressing-gowns swathing me. Quite frankly, the sudden drop in temperature here in the UK is likely the reason for my inability to sleep, playing the Sims 3 until 3am. Is that a good enough excuse?
Anyhow, it's time for yet another weekly roundup of favorites and highlights. Admittedly it is going to be a rather tough one, but hey-ho, life's an enigma and I'm up for a fathom.

Weekly Favorites:

 "Whatever happens, wherever you go, whatever you do, remember this: no one can take the fire out of your soul, the stars from your eyes, the passion in your heart. Those are yours forever."

'Little Soldier by Mindy Gledhill'. Ah, the sweet melodies of Christmas. This has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. It used to calm me down when alone and notably anxious, which was realistically how I spent every ounce of my time in college. Wahey, the joys of student life. But yes, this lovely piece of music gives warmth and comfort as it urges you to sit and sway by the log fire.

'Winter Moon by Whi Yi'. This work has quite an interesting use of lines, which I find somewhat intriguing considering the subject matter. Despite highlighting the 'winter moon', the artist seems to develop on the perhaps more 'glum' aspects of the season; yet attracts the eye to the focal point at the end of the endless wavy lines. However, I find it quite alluring and subtly pulls me into the winter mood. A certain chill in the air.

'Words of wisdom from an unexpected citizen'. This guy is simply incredible. There's not many people as determined in the world as him, and takes a hell of a lot of guts to do what he does. Mathew Silver walks through New York City in his underwear, beckoning words of genuine wisdom to the public. He is truly inspirational, and prevails to put forward his beliefs of love between human kind. Check him out if you want a jolly good boost.

Hmm, this one may sound slightly odd in comparison to my usual waffle. Simply, hot-water bottles. Not in the sense to bring warmth (because that is a daily ritual for myself anyway), but in terms on soothing pain. If you're experiencing some sort of ache/pain/ muscle tension, try holding one over the area. I've been having kidney pain and let me tell you; this toasty, snug bottle of miraculous relaxation is the red-breast to my robin. Moving on...

In my first year doing A levels, my drama group took a trip to London, touring theaters and such. It was my first time experiencing this great capital, and one I truly wish to return to. Now, I cannot stress this enough; always make the most of every adventure, live every second within the moment and appreciate all sights, do not waste time with oppressive thoughts. Despite having dreamt of visiting London, I wasted the entire trip, only being left with memories of dejection. I allowed my mind to take control, ensuring every moment which should have been treasured to become an episode of anguish and self-hatred. I'm sure we've all been through similar situations, which is why it is so fundamentally important to live in the moment and appreciate what you are being given around you; the world's gift. London itself is a beautiful city, filled with life and incredible culture, the theaters brimming with history and compelling tales. Yet I spent the entire time hiding behind a friend, isolated, embarrassed, and did not allow myself to buy anything other than a chap-stick because I 'didn't deserve it'. Not to mention I experienced one of the worst evenings of my life whilst there, which I won't go in to for perhaps triggering reasons. So please for the sake of your own well-being; make the most of everything. Kick the hell outta' that goblin on your shoulder and prance forth on your adventures. *roar of applause*

Weekly Highlights:

I won't lie, I've been staring at this section for ages and cannot for the life of me think of anything to write. Oh, actually, I know! Goodness, I'm literally typing my train of thought here, oh well. Anyhow, I had a good ol' chat with an old friend (hello there Emma Barlow if you're reading this!), she really put a smile on my face and brightened my week, therefore deserves to be featured. Check out her Instagram, she's an inspirational, kind, caring, beautiful young lady who deserves more recognition for her greatness. Despite the two of us being somewhat enemies in the earlier 'primary school' years, our friendship flipped and now I miss her tonnes, and of course I#m wishing her all the best whilst in University.

 I'm still alive! Meh, that'll do.

All done, wahoo. Again feel free to use this idea of your 'Saga Saturday', I'm interested. You can all be positive and optimistic if you really focus on the right path.

Love,

B x

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Halloween 2015 | Nightlife Makeup

Hello there witches and wizards (I'll accept squibs),

The frightful festivity of Halloween is soon approaching, and I for one can't wait to scoop out the glutinous, moist, mucous-covered seeds from the insides of a pumpkin. Yes, generally speaking I will be spending October 31st having a good ol' shindig in my room. Nonetheless, I've always wanted to have a bash at some arty (ish) eye-shadow looks, so here goes. If you find this even remotely useful, please do let me know and I may go ahead to do some more. If not, then bibby-bobiddy-boop.

If you would by any chance like to know what products are featured, I'll try to link them in each step.

  1   After priming and all that jazz, begin with a base layer of cerulean blue from a palette, covering the entire eyelid, just below the waterline and curving gently down the side of the nose. Use a light, arctic tone in the center.

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  2   Go ahead to darken the outer corners of the eye, in a diagonal line up to the tip of the eyebrow. If you don't want it too harsh, bled with finger. An aegean blue going into silver would do nicely

 
 3   Use a black pencil to line the eyes, both top and bottom. It doesn't have to be too neat because you'll be blending over it. The softer the pencil, the better.

4   With a black/ charcoal grey shadow, use a fine brush to apply along the eyeliner and blend outward. Blend the same shade into the crease, and follow the diagonal outer-line, fading out.

5   Continue to build up the layers, being as vibrant or as muted as you desire. Try working a deep indigo into the crease outwards, and a shimmering violet in towards the nose. It gives it a slightly more 'magical' effect.

6   Here's where I chose to go a little overboard. Use a silver cream pencil (or pigment if you can't find one) to fill the eyebrows, blending the blues and darker shades into the ends. Use this to add specs of silver dotted over the brow-bone, like the stars of the night sky.

7   I found these funky bat-lashes in ASDA, but I'm pretty sure they're sold online on multiple websites. The bats look as if they're flying in the night sky, I got far too excited by this. Anyhow, apply mascara with or without the bats.

8   Since I was mainly focusing on the eyes, I went for quite a minimal look for the rest of the face. I simply just used concealer and dabbed a little on my lips. It gives a slightly icy, frosted appearance and helps direct attention to your wacky eyes.







And there we are, one extremely awkward makeup look. I must say, that was my first time using false lashes, and the struggle was unbelievable. I failed to think of trimming them down before applying, therefore I nearly poked my eye out. Just putting it out there. Besides my amateurism, I actually found this rather interesting, enjoyable in fact. I hope you liked this night themed, bat, ice... thing.

Love,

B x

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World Mental Health Day 2015

Hello there tawny owls,

10th October 2015, World Mental Health Awareness Day. Realistically this is a topic which deserves the entire years worth of sentience, but nevertheless today remains to be the only day where it is plastered all over the web. Of course, being that the issue is an indispensable one, I've taken this opportunity to make my contribution.
Before I get into the rudimentary mish-mash, I think it's important when speaking about mental health, to approach it with a somewhat lighter tone. Without doubt it is a majorly serious topic, but if we try to raise awareness through a voice of sincerity and torment, the more those who are oblivious to the subject will be hesitant to bring it up in conversation. It is already something of a 'touchy' matter in discussion, so if it's presented as overly unsettling, we're only going to worry about upsetting someone if it's brought up. We need to, regardless of  how fearful we are, show that it is okay to talk about it. That it is a relief to know that those around us aren't tense and apprehensive about accidentally saying the wrong thing. The more people are aware and publicly comfortable with it, the easier it is for those of us struggling to open up. It may seem like common-sense, but when society's general attitude is either excessively judgmental or driven away by the subjective stereotypes, it becomes a real fear that we're going to be outcast.

Anyhow, now that little babble is over, let's get on with the fabulous (or not so fabulous, but crucial) facts.
                  - As many as 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. So the likelihood is, we all know someone, excluding ourselves.

                   -1 in 10 young people will experience a mental health problem, it isn't always bloody puberty. (No pun intended, deary me.)

                   -Now this is a frightening statistic, 9 out of 10 people with mental illness experience stigma and discrimination.

                   -3 in 4 young people fear the reactions of friends when they talk about their mental health problems. I think particularly in our younger years, our ignorance to the subject tends to be quite detrimental without realising it. It should be something commonly discussed in education.

                   -People with mental health problems are actually more dangerous to themselves than they are to others; 90 % of people who die through suicide in the UK are experiencing mental distress. Please for the love of Saint Nicholas, don't be afraid of someone fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Depression	2.6 in 100 people
Anxiety	4.7 in 100 people
Mixed anxiety and depression	9.7 in 100 people
Phobias	2.6 in 100 people
OCD	1.3 in 100 people
Panic disorder	1.2 in 100 people
Post traumatic stress disorder	3.0 in 100 people
Eating disorders	1.6 in 100 people

I won't deny it; I used to believe the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding mental health. Occasionally I may have even joked about it. Little did I know, I had been dealing with the issue myself at the time. As time gradually passed, I became aware both that what I was experiencing wasn't normal, and that I would be wrongly judged for it. If it weren't for the ignorance and non-existent education upon the subject, I could have gotten help much sooner and possibly prevented further illnesses occurring. It is for this reason that, although it has been said countless times, stigma needs to be reduced. The more people who speak up and be honest, the better. Share your mental health experiences. If you're feeling seriously low, suicidal and self-harm you should be able to talk without a negative outcome. If you become aware of your eating difficulties and know you're slowly dying, you should be able to talk without being seen as going through a typical teenage phase. If you're hearing voices, have constant paranoia or cannot control your emotions, you should be allowed to talk without being considered a freak and avoided. Essentially, if you're ill, you deserve to get better.

Left: Me       Right: My friend

Due to the stigma, ignorance and the subject being taboo, mental health practically ruined my prom, 2 1/2 years ago. It was meant to be a memory to hold for the rest of your life, not cripple over in shame. And because of my own obliviousness as to what was happening to me, I proceeded to go to a college quite a distance away, thinking a fresh start would wash away my struggles. But because of what I did not know, from then on the conditions became life-threatening. In all honesty, attaching this photo from my prom all those years ago is admittedly upsetting. I look completely different now, and it is a shock that I even managed to get through that night. It also makes me want to slap myself in the face for not opening up earlier. The change which mental illness can do to you is frightening.

Samaritans

Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 08457 90 90 90 (24-hour helpline)
Website: www.samaritans.org.uk

Sane

Charity offering support and carrying out research into mental illness. 
Phone: 0845 767 8000 (daily, 6pm-11pm)
SANEmail email: sanemail@org.uk
Website: www.sane.org.uk

Mind

Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems.
Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)
Website: www.mind.org.uk

YoungMinds

Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals.
Phone: Parents' helpline 0808 802 5544 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4pm)
Website: www.youngminds.org.uk

PAPYRUS

Young suicide prevention society.
Phone: HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (Mon-Fri,10am-5pm & 7pm-10pm. Weekends 2pm-5pm)
Website: www.papyrus-uk.org

Beat

An Eating Disorder Charity, information and help/advice.
Phone: 0845 634 1414 (Mon-Thurs, 1.30pm-4.30pm)
Website: www.b-eat.co.uk

More helplines: NHS

Stay safe, I love you,

love,

B x

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The Ingenious Way To Journal

Hello there red robins,

As the air turns crisp and the leaves fall gracefully, a great amount of us tend to plummet into the winter blues. While a persistent suggestion is to simply 'write everything down' and 'release your feelings onto a page'; quite often it is just too much effort. It is something we frequently aspire to do, successfully manage the first few days, then give up because writing a page of the same endless thoughts feels pointless. Sound familiar?
Restraining our emotions on a daily basis only results in, quite frankly, an explosion. So conclusively, unleashing everything on your mind makes a great deal of sense. Speaking from my experience as a full-time recluse, nothing is worse than being alone with your self-destructive thoughts.
After countless years of diving in and out of the world of the journal, I believe I have finally discovered something of a solution. You've probably caught a glimpse of this marvelous creation in places such as Waterstones or Urban Outfitters, but it is only now which I realize just how useful it can be.
I'm talking about 'One Line A Day- A five year memory book' by Chronicle Books. It is described as a condensed, comparative record for five years, for recording events most worthy of remembrance. Essentially, the title itself tells it all. Throughout the book, each page contains a calendar date from January through to December; only each date has five sections.
A very simplistic (and perfect) concept, all that is required is to write one sentence every day, summarizing that day's events or accomplishments, basically whatever suits you best. You fill the top section on every page to begin with, marking the year in the provided box. Then when it comes to the following year, you simply repeat the exact same process, only on the section below, and so on. That way, once the book is completed, you are able to look bad and browse though for example, what happened on every July 5th through five years. You can see how far you've come, and what battles you've whisked by.
Personally, what I'm finding most helpful is to use the designated 'one-liner' to write an accomplishment for that day. Whether it be big or small, it enables you to see the positive in every day, despite feeling like the glass was half-empty.
Since I have ridiculously minuscule handwriting which replicates that of a nimble door-mouse; I managed to fit a little more than a sentence. I'll let you into a wee' glimpse of my life; on October 4th, I wrote:

(I mean seriously, the pages are golden. It's like a fairy farted all over it in pure excitement.)

       'I hit 1,000 total views on my blog! So mum bought me this book as a congratulations. We also purchased multi-vitamins for the first time, I'm terrified... I'm also loving the autumn leaves, so red!'

As you can tell, I may not have the most exciting life and have tried far too hard to be desperately enthusiastic, but thank goodness I can now pick out the positives. In all honesty, it is so much less daunting than thinking 'ugh, I can't be bothered writing in a diary every night', in reality this approach is a lot more beneficial and genuinely takes less than a minute. I certainly recommend this, not only if you're struggling with your mental health, but also for the simple sake of your sanity and enjoyment in life. I think it will be an absolutely jolly thrill to flick though this after the five years. Memories are precious, don't just record them on your Facebook timeline.

Anyway, I'm off to rock back and forth with my hot water-bottle,

Love,

B x

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The Birth Of Moon Nuttygirdle | The Sims 3

Hello there bluebells,

Seeing as I'm aimlessly floating in the midst of a gap year, at long last I can rediscover my (slight) obsession with gaming. While I find it difficult to actually 'allow' myself to indulge in something I enjoy, I couldn't say no to a childhood-favorite.
I'm sure we all remember the original Sims PC game from back in the day, when the oven burst into flames every ten seconds; the repetitive, nifty music; finding unexplained pee practically everywhere; using endless cheat-codes because you couldn't afford anything decent on build mode, and the fact that no matter how hard you tried, all your sims looked the same. Despite how undeniably terrible it was compared to the newer versions, I used to get completely hyped when I installed the Makin' Magic pack, forever pretending your sim was off to Hogwarts.
So, though I'm profoundly late to the trend, I thought I'd give Sims 3 a go. But properly this time. (ie. no cheating my way to a millionaire mansion.)
I'm going to make this into a story of some-sort, documenting the life of a sim. Perhaps this will compensate for my misanthrope lifestyle. Eek, this is rather exciting.

     The creation...

  Oh how I've missed morphing characters.  Anyhow, say hello to Moon Nuttygirdle. It's fair to say I
had quite a bit of fun messing around with facial features. In all honesty, I find that both character creation and building properties are one of the best aspects of the entire game. Seriously, I could spend hours just designing the living room.
Moon is a young adult, and has inherited one of the classic sim traits.. Being rather, weird.

I might make a little story out of this, who knows. Perhaps document a day in her life where all sorts of ruckus takes place.

Somewhat over-board on the garden...

 Moon is certainly one of the most bizarre individuals I have ever encountered in any simulation game. When left without my control, I keep finding her either talking (squabbling like an outraged penguin) to herself, or speeding around the neighborhood in torment.

 What I then also noticed, was that it wasn't simply a coincidence that her expression consistently resembled a look of utter confusion; but that I had simple-mindedly rotated her eyebrows a little too far. Nevertheless I refuse to make any changes, it's far too humorous.








I even returned to my screen to find this... Moon, swimming aimlessly in the sea, alone. And what's quite worrying is that instead of changing into her swimsuit, she appeared to have decided that 'formal attire' would be the best option to take a dip in. It's relatively amusing. I seem to have created a personification of whatever insanity is going on inside my head, oh the joys.

As a proud 'mother' of Moon Nuttygirdle, I am delighted to share her first painting.Which may I say, she was overly keen on completing.

  I know, I have no idea what it is supposed to be either. I suppose it must be an abstract piece, resembling how empty her mind must be since afterwards she threw a tantrum due to not being able to get past the easel.










Anyways, that's that. The first day of Moon Nuttygirdle. What a fruitful life she will lead. I do hope you're all having a lovely weekend and are embracing this beautiful season.

(Also, I'm having to skip this week's Saga Saturday, due to being very unwell this week, hence why there's been less blog posts than usual. Yippee.)

Love,

B x

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