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Archives for October 2017

October 27, 2017 by Amy Leave a Comment

A Few of my Favourite things….

Friday…

So it’s that time of the week again. Time to settle down with a cuppa and look at some eye and brain candy!

This week I was focusing on artist of all types, and thinking about the different approaches individuals have. The world is full of creative people, and the people I am  including today, are so inspiring and I love their work. I would love for you to check them out further.

So take some time out for yourself, sit back and look at these beautiful works.

1.Junipercakery

O.k so it isn’t “art” like you normally expect, but it is very artistic. Being able to make beautiful cakes and confectionary is a skill in its own right, and i admire anyone who can bake and decorate sweets as beautiful as these. The Juniper cakery is run by two lovely ladies, called Felicity and Krystle. They bake and supply cakes, cupcakes and confectionary, for Hull and the surrounding area. I literally could look (and eat) all of the things that they create. Artists in their own right.

Take a look….

Picture courtesy of Juniper Cakery.

How Beautiful are they? They don’t just do cakes they do sweets, cupcakes,macarons,cookies, and they are all beautiful. Kudos ladies!

You can find them in all the usual places and their website will be up and running soon. In the meantime click on the link to go their instagram.

Facebook

Twitter

Read their blog over at JuniperCakery

Awesome!

2. Arozona

Succulents. Who doesn’t love a succulent. Personally, I have a little bit of an obsession with them. So naturally when I stumbled across Arozona on Instagram, I had to indulge myself and found their art stunning, to say the least.

Courtesy of Arozona.

Gorgeous aren’t they?!

You can find more of their work here on Instagram

Definitely go check them out.

3 Micromachinedee.

This is an art form close to my heart.

Tattooing is something that i have loved ever since i can remember. I have a fair few myself, and have a few friends in the trade itself. My instagram feed is full tattoo artists and this is one lady who just stands out. Her designs are cute, colourful, quirky and fun. Needless to say she had to be on this list today. I could browse her feed all day.

Dee loves to use inspiration from Japanese anime to 90’s nostalgic cartoons and is also active in the cosplay community.

Courtesy of Danielle Soto.

 

How adorable is her art? I would love to get one, eventually… maybe sailor moon to go with my disney sleeve? 🙂

You can find more information and look at her gorgeous pieces by clicking on these links:

Micromachinedee.

Instagram.

Facebook.

So there we have it. I just want to say a big thank you to these lovely people for letting me feature them and use their images on my blog.

They have all left me feeling inspired. I am in awe of their originality and creativity. I wish I was as talented.:)

What art are you in to? what inspires you to create?

Big Love,

Amy,

xx

 

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Filed Under: A Few of my favourite things Tagged With: art, cake, love, succulent, tattoo

October 25, 2017 by Amy 1 Comment

Graffiti – Is it vandalism or is it Art?

Graffiti…

This is one of those subjects, a little like Marmite, you either love Graffiti? Or you hate it. But when does graffiti stop being vandalism, and start being art ? This got me thinking about my local graffiti, and the history and meaning of this popular sub-culture.

A Brief history….

The word “graffiti” comes from the Greek “Graphein” meaning to write, draw or scratch. This then gives us the common root word – graph.  Now, the word Graffiti, originates from the Italian language, and is actually a plural of the word “graffito“. These are both derived from the word “graffio” which means “a scratch” and it was the original graffiti that was “scratched” (not painted), into the surfaces of walls in ancient Greece, Pompeii to be precise. (keeping up? Good.)

Graffiti was first labelled like this in 1851, with reference to inscriptions “scratched” onto the walls in Pompeii. The definition has since grown to include all sorts of public “art” from hastily written tags, to the more time-consuming , elaborate murals. Artistic expression seems to be an old human impulse, especially on the surfaces surrounding us. Trees, walls, pavements etc. Some of the oldest art/graffiti dates back to Paleolithic times.

Picture courtesy of Ancient history encyclopaedia
Picture courtesy of Wikipedia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paleolithic..

The Paleolithic, or “Old Stone Age” is the earliest era of human existence, where stone tools were made and used, and its people took shelter in caves. This “Old stone age” continued until about 10,000 years ago, and included the impulsion to express themselves artistically. They painted animals and abstract shapes onto the walls of their caves. The meanings are uncertain and  arguments continue to this day about the meanings.

Personally, I think they were used to tell stories.

(like this scene in Ice age 🙂 )

However, natural historian, R. Dale Guthrie, has his own unique theory.

Based on handprints and other traces of the artists, he has concluded that the artists were often adolescent males, who may have been left out of hunts. They made these paintings as a way of entertainment, not unlike the adolescents of today. So you could say, that some of the first art known to humans, was in fact Graffiti.

The Mediterranean…

O.K,  O.K. If you live in a beautiful climate, like the people of the Paleolithic (granted it was kinda dangerous, what with the crazy predators) and the Med, what is there to be bored about?! It would seem that it grew into more of an expression of self and communication, than a means to pass time.

The Ancient Greeks started it as a way to advertise.

The people of the Mediterranean, some 2000 years ago, were no strangers to scribbling on walls and rocks. But these were different. One particular piece of greek graffiti was found in Ephesus (which now lies in Turkey) and was apparently an advertisement for a brothel!

The carving shows what seems to be a heart, a foot, a woman’s head and money. When you put those together, it is giving directions to a place you could exchange money for a woman’s ” Love” (hmm, go Figure?!) Granted ,this wasn’t exactly a beautiful carved piece of marble, in the shape of an Adonis, but a simple scribble, etched into stone for communication.

( this is maybe not true… but you get the idea )

The city of Pompeii, as we all know, was frozen in time by Mount Vesuvius blowing her top, preserving the city in a layer of ash, 15 feet thick. The graffiti found on these walls, range from sexual boasting  to simple declarations that friends had visited a place.

In the Basilica you can ponder the words “A small problem gets larger if you ignore it” (typically ancient Greek…)

Graffiti speaks and has spoken to  basic human impulses throughout history. Ancient Rome’s graffiti mocked politicians, and simply declared “I was here” (some things never change #YK17 ) So throughout human history, Graffiti has been a way of provoking a response, expressing opinions, claiming territory or declaring love.

writing down our thoughts and ideas or even a simple affirmation of our presence seems to be a universal impulse.

The 20th Century…

So what about graffiti today? Well, it turns out, just because technology has changed and evolved, human nature hasn’t( huh? you don’t say?). People still have an impulsion to scribble their graffiti onto surfaces they see. Think about the last public loo you went to and brad declared his love for Janice, or the last train you were on where “Soph Woz ‘ere”

Graffiti is most commonly associated with the hip-hop culture of America. Along with MC’ing, DJ’ing and dancing, graffiti is a central part of its sub culture. The origins of all these are traced to the Bronx in N.Y.

“TAKI183” popularised a subset of graffiti, “tagging”. He was messenger who dubbed himself “TAKI183” by shortening his actual Greek name, Demetraki, and the street he lived on, 183. Throughout the 60’s and 70′ he would scrawl his “tag” on surfaces around the city. His name gained recognition and, as usual, imitators popped up everywhere, including Britain

Pictures courtesy of Widewalls.ch

Rule Brittania…

Street art could be the most important phenomenon in the history of art itself. Consider the fact that there practically, isn’t an urban space, without pieces of street art. The supermarket, school hallways, bus stops, you name it if there’s a blank space, there’s gonna be art…Graffiti…Art?!

Manchester, Birmingham, London, Bristol etc, have started developing distinctive styles which could shape the street art scene of Europe. It started in the 80’s with car paint being the only form of media widely available. It coincided with the hip-hop and electro music movement on the radio.

Here in England, the line between vandalism and art has been blurred, with the likes of Banksy making millions, but remaining anonymous. Thus, adding to the mystery and allure of Graffiti as an art form. The ability to express controversial opinions, with little repercussion has an intriguing, vigilante feel to it. This makes Graffiti so fascinating and popular.

Other British graffiti artists include Smug, Aroe, Dave Bonzai, Remi Rough, Tizer ID, (I could go on) all have differing approaches to their art.

 

 Art or Vandalism, that is the question..

Many people have varied opinions about Graffiti. If someone came and painted on your house without permission, you would be narked and would class that as vandalism. But would you feel the same if you saw a breathtaking piece of graffiti art on a dull wall in the city? The authorities probably wouldn’t care that it was the next undiscovered Picasso, if it was on an owned property, it’s still vandalism. So, is graffiti art if it’s done legally and with consent? and does the fact that it has been given permission take the excitement and meaning out of graffiti, thus rendering it vandalism?

Personally: I see nothing wrong with a beautiful mural, covering what would otherwise be a dowdy, grey, urban jungle. It can showcase raw talent and gives people a means of communication that they may otherwise struggle with.

Locally, there is a place where artists go and create murals, remembering loved ones, and to stand up for the things that they believe. I have nothing against art of any kind, and graffiti, like it or lump it, will be around for generations.

Take a look at some of the art from my town.

Copyright.
A.Teasdale’17

What do you think? should artists be prosecuted for creating art? whats the graffiti like where you live?

Big love,

Amy

xx

P.S I would just like to point out that most of this information came from some websites off of the internet. I do not claim the rights to any of this information.i just did my research 🙂 You can find more information about this subject by clicking these links:

widewalls 

udemy

 

 

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Filed Under: General blogging. Tagged With: art, artists, banksy, graffiti, vandalism

October 24, 2017 by Amy Leave a Comment

5 ways used coffee can make you beautiful.

Used coffee grinds.

In this day and age, where recycling SHOULD be a part of every household and business,  trying to find new ways of using items and products, that have been used previously, can be a task.

Being keen to help protect the environment,  we try to make as little waste as possible. Keeping our footprint green is very important to us and so finding new and exciting ways to use things again intrigues us.

How do you get rid of used grinds?

This is something that we wanted to try and reduce, as much as possible, in our daily lives, at home and at work. do we throw them in the trash with the other rubbish? Do we take it to the tip? Well , after some research and some serious conscience listening, we have compiled a few ideas we have come across, that we love.

Without further ado, read on to find out how you can use your coffee grinds  (or help those coffee-house owners, who I am sure will be completely thrilled for the help. A lot of coffee, leaves a lot of grinds!) in many other ways, you probably never thought of!

Cellulite Buster.

YEP! You read that right gals! The active ingredient in most high-end, anti-cellulite creams? Coffee!

Simply mix 1/4 cup of warm coffee grinds, (microwaved is fine) with 1 TBSP of oil, either olive, coconut,almond, even massage oil, and apply to the danger zones. Wrap that up like you would a cake, with cling film and relax for about 5 minutes. Wash the pots, read a magazine, meditate….. Then when your timer goes off, remove the wrap. Grab a lovely warm shower, brush off the coffee using an exfoliating brush and your all done! Repeat this twice a week, and you should start to see results……

Your welcome. 🙂

“Here’s looking at you kid”

Late night?  Allergies?

Stress no more. With this eye mask, you can get rid of those pesky puffy panda eyes.

Take a pinch of black pepper, 1tsp fresh coffee grounds, mix this with a 1/4 tsp coconut oil, mix this with some water till it becomes a paste and apply to under eyes. Leave for 5-10 minutes then wipe off gently with a damp cloth. apply some moisturizer later, and repeat a few times a week, till *ping no more dark circles.

 

Not tonight i’m washing my hair…

We all know the importance and benefits of exfoliating. It brightens skin and makes it baby soft. How many times have you exfoliated your scalp? Well, exfoliation is important for your head too. It eliminates build up and dead skin cells, and gives your hair a beautiful shine. Add 1/3 cup of ground coffee to your scalp and massage in circular motions for about a minute. This is best done before you wash and condition, leaving you with the tresses of your dreams.

 Amoozing!

 

Brunette Benefits…

As well as making your hair beautifully silky, (thanks for the demo Daisy) If you have naturally dark hair, Brunettes I’m talking to you, Leaving a mix of used coffee grounds and your everyday conditioner, leaves hair beautifully tinted. It accentuates the chocolate tones and basically works like a safer alternative to henna. Remember the fascination with henna hair in the 90’s?

hmmm….

 

These boots were made for walking…

Ok so this one isn’t for your boots, but instead for your feet.

Had a long, tiring shift at work? Feel like your little piggies could do with some pampering for themselves before you put those totally amazing, but expensive, shoe envy inducing, open toes on? Heres a little trick I’m loving! Take one cup of virgin coconut oil, 1/2 cup of your ground coffee, and one to two teaspoons of vanilla extract blended together. Prepare a tub of warm soapy water, then soak your feet for 10 minutes. While soaking, apply one teaspoon of the scrub to feet in a circular motion to exfoliate the dead skin. Rinse feet in warm water and pat dry. The blend of antioxidants in the coffee and the moisturising properties of coconut oil will leave your worn out feet  soft and silky smooth.

So there we have 5 ways to reuse old coffee grounds.

Most of these were found through Pinterest ( how I love thee) None of these were my own idea, thought I’d just make that clear. If you search used coffee in there, there’s a whole bunch of things comes up.

How do you recycle ? Do you reuse things that have been discarded? how do you feel about the state of the environment where you live?

Till next time,

Big Love,

Amy,

xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: General blogging. Tagged With: 90's, beauty, coffe, craft, disney, environment, feet, recycle, reuse

October 23, 2017 by Amy 2 Comments

Poisongrrls Money Honey Knit-a-long.

Memories….

What stands out in your mind, when you think back to your childhood?

The family dog warming themselves by the fire? The tempting smell of Sunday roast, delicious but filling? The sight of overfull family members, strewn around the living room trying to digest said roast?

For me, as well as those, i always remember the comforting sound of my mum, click-click-clicking on her latest knitting project.

As children, my sister and I, were always encouraged to be creative. Drawing, baking, painting, sewing…you name it, we tried it! Always eager to learn the new skills we’d seen her do. Mum taught us how to embroider cross stitch patterns onto fabric. She taught us how dye eggs, and bake delicious goodies. We would watch intently, as she showed us how to make scarves and hats. Little presents for school-friends and relatives, handmade with love (and trauma – too many knits and not enough purl, knots in threads and lost places in the patterns)

Its thanks to my mum, and the time she devoted to us, as kids, I found a passion to explore my creativity.

 

Today….

As an adult, able to drive a car and eat dessert before dinner, I have dabbled in a few creative endeavours. A hat for my boyfriend, a scarf for myself, but mainly have always felt a little uninspired. Instagram can be great for sparking a creative idea (# ADDICTED). One of the lovely ladies i follow, Amy Appel AKA poisongrrl, had placed a post advertising a knit-a-long.

Knit-a-long? Hmmm… I’d never really considered anything like this before. I’d heard of them before, sure, but never really participated, being a novice and probably not that good. I dived in anyways. Whats to lose?!

Here is the lovely lady herself, click on the link below to check her IG feed.
poisongrrl.

The pattern is right up my street. Vintage styling, with an edgy vibe 🙂

This is my first knitting project for a while now, and may be a little ambitious. I will not be deterred though.

I joined the group on Ravelry, a knit and crochet website full of patterns, help and tips, and bought the supplies.

Click on this link to look at the group.

Poisongrrls ravelry group

I bought the gear needed from a website called ” Love knitting”

Most of the supplies have arrived already just waiting on the main item….  THE WOOL.

These are the supplies that I bought from love knitting. (I think that’s my new favourite online shop 🙂 )

Final thought….

This is going to be a bit of a challenge for me. In the grand scheme of things, I’m a bit of a novice (and usually not that great at, well , finishing things )

Luckily for me? I have a needle master as a mum!

Wish me luck, and stay tuned on here and my other sites for progress reports.

Do you knit? Have you done an “a-long” anything before? Do you want to join in?

Till next time

Big love

Amy

xx

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Filed Under: General blogging. Tagged With: childhood, crafting, creativity, grrl, knit, knitalong, knitting, love, memories, poison, today, wool

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