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

These are a few of my favourite things #2

Books:

Altered Clothing by Kathleen Maggio

I’ve been looking for ways to be more sustainable with my 

clothes. I loaned this book from the library to get some simple 

customizing ideas. Great for beginners such as myself.

Seeking Slow by Melanie Barnes

This book celebrates the importance of slowing down, 

and taking time for yourself. I found it surprisingly insightful

 with a lovely cosy, warm feeling to it.

Six Weeks to Zero Waste by Kate Arnell

I’ve been taking some positive steps towards a greener lifestyle 

and learning about looking after our planet. This was one of the best, and 

most extensive reads I’ve found regarding the growing waste issue. Arnell’s 

writing is down-to-earth, and encourages us to make changes big or small.

Spotify Music: 

Closer to the Truth by Cher

Although released in 2013, I found this album on Spotify just 

before Christmas. It has a feel-good, disco vibe with empowering lyrics.

Revolution in Me by Siobhan Donaghy

Siobhan was an original member of the Sugababes, and their debut 

album, ‘One Touch’ is one of my all-time favourites. I would recommend 

‘Revolution’ as it has the same kind of vibe and was my favourite album of 2020.

Films on TV: 

The Mask with Jim Carrey

I’ve watched The Mask a handful of times as a kid and re-watched it at the start of the new year. For those who don’t know, we follow a bank clerk who finds a mysterious mask in a river. When worn, the accessory transforms his character. It’s a classic, and Jim Carrey plays the lead character very well.

Internet:

Blog: www.handmadecharlotte.com

Charlotte has a beautiful blog, filled with colourful and unique 

crafts for all ages. I can’t help being inspired every time I visit.

Lifestyle:

Unicorn Decorated Tissue Box

My Mum gave me this decorated tissue box. 

Available at Asda for those of you who are curious.

I love the unicorn/rainbow design. 

What were your favourite things this month?

Have I given you any new ideas for things to watch, listen or read? :-) Xx

Clothing Items Inspired by The Selection Series

The Selection series by Kiera Cass was quite popular in the online book community when it came out and I’m in the middle of rereading it.

Because the book covers are absolutely gorgeous, I thought it would be fun to try and do a Pinterest lookbook of things you could wear with inspiration from those fabulous ball gowns. The first book cover in the series is probably my favourite. I love the ruffles on the dress, as well as the colours.

For those not familiar with The Selection, here is the blurb:

‘Reality TV meets dystopian fairy tale'

'Thirty-five beautiful girls. Thirty-five beautiful rivals…

It’s the chance of a lifetime and 17-year-old America Singer should feel lucky. She has been chosen for The Selection, a reality TV lottery in which the special few compete for gorgeous Prince Maxon’s love.

Swept up in a world of elaborate gowns, glittering jewels and decadent feasts, America is living a new and glamorous life. And the prince takes a special interest in her, much to the outrage of the others.

Rivalry within The Selection is fierce and not all of the girls are prepared to play by the rules. But what they don’t know is that America has a secret – one which could throw the whole competition… and change her life forever’

When looking on Pinterest, I mostly searched for things like ruffles, princess, ball gown, The Selection inspired, etc. I chose a mixture of formal and more casual looks while keeping to the colour palette from the first book cover.

I found this blog post really fun to create, I hope you liked it!

Have you heard of The Selection books by Kiera Cass?

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

Stationery Inspo #2 | New Year Diary & Calendar

 

These were a present to myself for Christmas, and I’ve been enjoying using each of the items since. For the past couple of years, I’ve been buying my calendar and diary from The Works as they do some really good designs/options.

The diary has a unusual marble effect in pink and gold which makes it look more expensive than it is. The matching A4 lined notebook, I feel is going to come in great use to me. The elephant design calendar is a bit different to my usual style but the colours and patterns are so pretty. I paid £3.00 for the diary, £1.50 for the calendar and £3.00 for the notebook.

Where do you like to shop for stationery?

What does your diary and calendar look like for 2021? :-) Xx

Jerome Russell Bstyled Hair Serum

 

Happy New Year! Hope everyone is doing okay. I bought myself this hair product before Christmas, and have been using it often since. So far, I’m pretty chuffed so I thought I would do a review. 

I mentioned to my hairdresser ages ago now that I had some flyaway hairs, and she suggested using a hair serum. I did a bit of searching and found this brand on Superdrug. I was impressed to see its cruelty-free, vegan as well as many other things.

I learnt quickly that only a pea size amount is necessary, so a little really does go a long way. Work the product into the hands and then through the hair. The smell of this product is beautiful, I feel like I’ve just stepped outside of the salon after use; I’m left with smooth, sleek hair.

I paid £6.99 but you can buy two BStyled products for £10.00 on Superdrug. The description of this product explains, ‘Replenish moisture and add shine back to your hair with this hair serum. Designed to make hair more manageable and smoother whilst adding hydration.’

Does this product interest you?

Have you heard of this hair styling brand before? :-) Xx