Jigsaw Log #5

 

It’s lovely to be back with this series. Recently I’ve been thinking about getting back into the hobby, although at the moment my jigsaw table is being used for something else. My Mum gifted this jigsaw to my Nan a while back, and my Nan, Mum and myself completed it March 2020, just before the pandemic hit. 

I really recommend this design because of the intricate picture, making finding the appropriate pieces a little bit easier. It had 500 pieces, so it was fairly doable as well. The image is of a busy park with lots of people, so we found it a nice conversation topic as we were doing it.

I found an interesting article on jigsaws: How did the Jigsaw Puzzle Become a Popular Pastime? 

If you want to read it for yourself, it covers the early history of jigsaw puzzles, 

the boom in popularity and how they're made today.

Here are a few quick quotes from the article:

‘Although puzzles are often regarded as a leisure activity,

 its beginnings are rooted in education and the teaching of geography.’

‘The name “jigsaw” refers to the specialized saws used to produce them;

 however, it would not become commonplace until decades later.’

‘Jigsaw puzzles have seen a resurgence in popularity in 2020 due to the coronavirus.’

I completed two other jigsaws in 2020:

The tropical sea life design in February (blog post here)

The supermarket design in July (blog post here)

Has this inspired you to do a jigsaw?

Or do you already do many, if so what types? :-) Xx

Tips for buying secondhand clothes on eBay

 

1.) Have a good browse to see what styles and prices suit you.

2.) Have a tape measure at hand to measure yourself, the items you want to buy and to compare them                  to similar things already in your wardrobe that fit well.

3.) Save your favourite sellers to come back to at a later point.

4.) Shop with sellers that have positive feedback and ideally no negative feedback.

5.) Trust your instincts about items, sellers, etc.

6.) Start with something easy for example accessories (or even other items such as books)

7.) Look out for sharp photographs and well written descriptions.

There are lots of benefits from buying secondhand, the environment, and affordability being the main ones. Remember eBay sells brand new products too, for example if you are struggling to buy a specific kind of item pre-loved. There are many smaller businesses on eBay you can support too. Also don’t worry if you get it wrong sometimes, and give it time to gain experience.

Did you find any of these tips helpful?

Do you like buying secondhand too? :-) Xx

These are a few of my favourite things #3

 

Lifestyle:

Snow Drops

I spotted a cluster of snow drops popping up on a walk 

recently so I decided to do some research into them.

‘According to legend, the snowdrop became the symbol of hope when Adam and

 Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. When Eve was about to give up hope

 that the cold winters would never end, an angel appeared.’

‘They flower January to April.’

Pukka ‘love’ Tea

I haven’t treated myself to some herbal tea for a while.

 I’ve tried this variety before, but I’ve been enjoying the

 unusual taste of rose, chamomile and lavender.

The Works Christmas Cookie Cutters

I bought these cookie cutters in The Works sale for £1.00

 to add to my collection. Cookie cutters can be quite

 expensive so these were a bargain!

Books:

Book Art by Clare Youngs

Here we learn creative ways to transform pages of old books into works of art,

 whether that’s decorations, cards, stationery, etc. I borrow lots of craft books from

 the library, but Book Art really stood out to me for many reasons. I like the

 idea of using recycled materials in craft, the range of difficulty levels included,

 and I also came away with some valuable ideas for my card making.

The Way We Live with Colour by Stafford Cliff

This is a book about how colour can be used in an interior and exterior setting

 as well as its place in culture. We get a glimpse of some extraordinary interior

 design from all over the world; The photography combined with text

 makes this a beautiful coffee table book.

Country Treasures by Louis Beetschen

A family friend lent me a couple of books after we had a discussion

 on what I like to read. Country Treasures is a fascinating look into crafting

 using natural materials. It’s a beautifully illustrated book that I found a joy to read.

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

This is the first book I’ve read by Bennett, but afterwards I read online, this is

 one of his most accessible novels. This is a fictional story of her majesty the queen, and

 how her visit to the local library van results in a complete love for books. I enjoyed the

 writing, and I was hooked from the beginning.

Films:

Bohemian Rhapsody

‘Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their

 extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered

 convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet.’

I didn’t know a lot about Queen previously, so this was very enlightening on their history

 as a band. I appreciated the biographical element to the film, Rami Malek played Freddie

 well. The music was great and it made me add some of their songs on Spotify.

Do we have any similar favourites?

Have I given you any new ideas? :-) Xx

Clothing Items Inspired by the Mean Girls Film

I really enjoyed creating some fashion looks for The Selection by Kiera Cass book cover (here) so thought I would continue with this style of post but for the film Mean Girls. The fashion in this film is all pink, and girly and it didn’t take me too long to find some more style inspiration on Pinterest.

For those not familiar with the Mean Girls film, here is the blurb:

'Cady Heron is a cultural blank slate when she first sets foot on the grounds of North Shore High School in a small town outside of Chicago, Illinois. After living in Africa, Cady has no idea how "wild" things can be in civilization until she crosses paths with one of the meanest species of all, the "Queen Bee," who at this school is the cool and calculating Regina George. 

But Cady doesn't just cross paths with this Queen Bee--she really stings her when she falls for Regina's ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels. Now Regina is set to sting back by pretending to still like Aaron so he won't go out with Cady, all the while pretending to be her friend. With no choice but to use the same M.O. to stay in the game, the "Girl World" one-upmanship escalates until the entire school gets dragged into a first-class mean-fest.'

If you want to look up some style from this film on Pinterest here are some key words: 

Pink, girly, Mean Girls fashion, pink dress, pink polo neck, pink plaid, pink skirt, etc.

^ Here is some fashion snippets from the film. ^

Below is some of my own interpretation of the clothing style:

Have you watched this film before?

Which of these clothing items is your favourite? :-) Xx

Graphic Novels: Where to Start

Which graphic novels I’ve read:

The Boy Who Cried Vampire by Benjamin Harper

A fable tale, with a twist on the boy who cried wolf teaching the reader a 

lesson about life. A very accessible read, for children as well as adults.

The Beano annual 1988 by D.C. Thomson

I got this book from a coffee morning book stall very cheaply. Includes all the usual 

favourites - Minnie the Minx, Roger the Dodger, The Bash Street Kids etc.

The Beano annual 2000 by D.C. Thomson

I’ve learned I prefer the older editions. 

This was my least favourite of the two Beano’s I’ve read.

The Paper Girls series 1-6 by Brian K. Vaughan

We follow a group of time-traveling paper girls in a wonderfully, weird dystopian world. 

The illustrations and colour choices are beautifully done throughout.

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō

Marie Kondo presents the fictional story of Chiaki, a young woman in Tokyo who 

struggles with a cluttered apartment. Great if you enjoyed her first non-fiction book.

Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell

Deja and Josiah work together at their local pumpkin patch, and are seasonal best friends. 

Finally, seniors, this will be their last autumn together, so they want to make the most of it. 

Beautiful illustrations and heartfelt story.

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

A gentle fantasy story of a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she 

becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons. Really lovely.

Bob’s Burgers by Dynamite Comics

Join the Belcher family from the hit American TV show featuring all your favourite 

characters; Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene & Louise. I thoroughly enjoyed the humour in this.

Circuit Breaker by Kevin McCarthy

A futuristic, high fantasy comic, set in a Japan. 

This was a really different read for me that I would recommend to others.

Titles I hope to read in the future:

More vintage cartoon comics such as The Beano

The Tea Dragon Festival (The Tea Dragon Society #2)

Circuit Breaker #2 by Kevin McCarthy

The Simpsons comics

Recommendations:

For your first graphic novel: The Beano

Perfect for gifting: Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell

On a budget: Free Comic Book Day comics are £1-3 on eBay.

For humour: Bob’s Burgers by Dynamite Comics

Tips:

TIP ONE // Try specialist comic/graphic novel shops on eBay, particularly 

comics made for free comic book day.

TIP TWO // Use your local library and get to know what comics they offer.

TIP THREE // Read comic/graphic novels reviews of people you have things 

in common with. Goodreads, Amazon reviews, YouTube etc. is a good starting point.

TIP FOUR // Try main-stream comics to begin with if you are unsure of the specialist variety.

TIP FIVE // The first few comics I read were children’s such as The Beano. 

Retro comics have a simple story therefore making a great place to start.

Places to shop:

piranha_comics_co eBay seller

Blackwelloxford eBay seller

Your local library

Charity shops

Have you read a comic or graphic novel before?

Which of these ones looks most interesting to you? :-) Xx

Vintage Inspiration for Cards & Scrapbooking

One day I was browsing some journaling layouts on Pinterest and I stumbled across a term called ephemera vintage which in the back of my mind I’d come across before but didn’t know a lot about.

I looked up the definition in a search engine:

‘In a nutshell, to collectors “ephemera” are vintage printed or written items which originally served some specific purpose and were not expected to be retained or preserved, but which are now cherished.’

‘Vintage ephemera is similar to modern ephemera in that it consists of paper items that were designed to be short-lived. In past eras, people often saved everything from scraps of wrapping paper, greeting cards, matchbooks, paper coasters and other items that could be reused or that held personal significance.’

My personal definition: Ephemera vintage seems to be a popular, aesthetically pleasing style used for card making, and scrapbooking. Examples include worn paper, old-fashioned images such as adverts, nature related, general scraps, etc.

I was looking through my own handmade cards 

and I was pleased to find some with that vintage kind of style:

Here are some more images I stumbled across on pinterest for you to get an overall idea:

Search term suggestions:

ephemera vintage

ephemera vintage paper

ephemera vintage postcards

ephemera vintage garden

ephemera vintage shabby chic

ephemera vintage printables

The beauty of this vintage style is materials can be found organically. But if you are stuck for finding things for your scrapbooking/card making eBay is literally a treasure trove.

Have you come across this style of art before?

Are you interested in scrapbooking/card making? :-) Xx

Book Covers That Make Me Happy

 

Stay Positive by Sophie Golding

The bright yellow cover is eye-catching, while the stay positive logo lifts my spirits. A perfect book to read if you are wanting something to cheer you up, featuring positive statements and quotes. 

The Joy of Less by Francine Jay

Another yellow book, with dandelions floating across the page; I love the carefree design. I’m currently enjoying rereading this minimalist guide to decluttering, organizing, and simplifying.

Paint Yourself Positive by Jean Haines

With the pink and yellow ink flowing through a pot of water, this really is a stunning cover! I finished reading this beginner’s guide to watercolour last year; it includes some important self-care ideas.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

This cover seems to have been created with some sort of dry paint which is floating about. This combined with the bold text makes a very striking cover. In this book the author shares insight into her creative process.

Energize by Jo Salter

I love visiting the beach, so I found this gorgeous seascape captured from above, so beautiful. Engergize is a self-help journal, encouraging its readers to make the most of their get-up-and-go.

Conscious Creativity by Philippa Stanton

This cover features some creative photography using art related props. The presentation throughout the book is stunning. Including quizzes, and prompts, I found this book helpful in discovering what kind of a creative I am.

Any Ideas by Rob Eastaway

It would be difficult to miss this colourful cover. The pink and polka dots caught my eye as well as the title. The author shares ways to develop ideas in both your personal and professional life.

Which was your favourite cover mentioned?

Did I miss a book cover that you find particularly joyful? :-) Xx