"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."
It has been a pleasure having a week off work to muse and just experience the wonders of my local county. Living by the coast and near the broads offers a diverse selection of wildlife and beautiful scenery that just can't be missed.
On Friday I and my boyfriend went to Wroxham on the bus. Wroxham is located a 15-20 minute drive from Norwich and features beautiful views of the Norfolk Broads with boat yards, wildlife centres and a cluster of shops/restaurants. We had a mosey around the shops including the large Roys store which I'm led to believe is their flagship store but didn't really buy anything.
Stopping for lunch in the Old Mill Restaurant, a pub/restaurant with a view over the river. The cake and sandwiches were delicious, I'd very much recommend them if you're in the area. The staff were very welcoming and it had a delightfully cozy atmosphere.
I love that just a short journey from home it feels like a small holiday and our county is full of heritage sites with big majestic houses and park spaces.
"I do not understand how a world that makes such wonderful things can be bad"
One of my favourite past times is to learn something new. It can be anything really, like how to draw a figure, how to speak a language or the history of a civilisation. This is why I was so excited to go to the Sea Life Centre, I'd been in the past but not for a long time.
Sea creatures are pretty mesmerising, we don't often get to see them in their natural habitat. Although I am not fond of captivity for wild creatures, it was wonderful being able to see jellyfish, seahorses, crocodiles and turtles. The fish in the centre have beautiful iridescent scales and the lighting in the jelly fish enclosure showed through all the elements of the jellyfish.
I loved how the seahorses curled their little tail around the base of the plants and the faux caging in the back. My favourite part of the centre is a tunnel you can walk through with a clear ceiling, allowing the fish and water to surround you. The water above the tunnel had little sharks, eels like the ones from Little Mermaid (I could almost hear Ursula calling them Flotsam and Jetsom) and a huge turtle.
I loved the whole experience and have a greater enthusiasm for the beings that live under the sea.
Quote Source Little Mermaid Disney
"Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way."
Today was a real treat, going on an adventure with my boyfriend. We met for coffee, caught a bus through the Norfolk countryside and ended up in a coastal town nearby. Our intention was the Sea Life Centre on the seafront but it was such a beautiful day and so quiet it felt like a day reserved just for us.
The buildings along the high street and seafront are in need of a little love but retain character, stuck in a time of their own. There is a real contrast of the Victorian buildings with tacky neon signs, cheap knock off products shops and vintage type. As a lover of typography it feels like a playground, stacked full of interesting imagery. I felt kind of bad for my fella having to stop whenever I saw something interesting and took photos.
We did go to the Sea Life Centre and it was wonderful, a great way to experience the life from under the sea. I managed to save on the tickets by using a voucher collected from some sweets last year, I'd definitely recommend it as it can be pricey. I'll likely share some photos from the Centre in another post but for now I leave this post with photos from our adventure.
Quote Source - Ragnar Lothbrok Vikings
"Hear the clatter of bones, I'm right in front of you, I'm right in front of you, with every colour of love in your eyes"
Adult life is a real mixture. Knowing you need to be sensible, be putting money aside and acting appropriately, working hard and making a family. I don't feel that I've gotten there, I feel impulsive wanting to run away off on holidays and adventures. Sadly that isn't realistic so instead will do the grown up things and day dream of being off enjoying relaxing or exciting new places.
Today was spent with my favourite person, looking around a few shops and having some tasty food. It was lovely to go into a coffee shop and watch the world go by. The past few months have felt super busy and having time to just stop was wonderful. Unfortunately a sinus headache made it a bit rubbish but spending time with my fella made it more bearable.
There were some beautiful home pieces in NEXT and I am very excited to start brainstorming some ideas for moving.
Quote Source - Flowers
“Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
It is a beautiful snowy day in Britain. For me I am lucky as I don't have work today, I get to look through the window and see the snow, the birds and our resident squirrels.
On days like this I love to wrap up in my biggest cozy cardigan, put on my fluffiest slippers and enjoy a nice hot coffee. Our cat loves it too, determined to cuddle me and stop me from using my laptop. Today I am watching Sherlock Holmes American series and entertaining the cat. Detective stories, particularly Sherlock, always catch my eye. The puzzles and deductions create a game from a show and as a child I loved Cluedo, I guess forensics and crime solving are truly intriguing to me.
Part of me wishes I'd studied science and forensics but I did have so much fun doing my creative Diploma and Degree. I think this year I'll work on learning new things.
Quote by Douglas Adams
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
Nothing builds the spirits after a long day like stepping into a warm home and seeing a little box with your name on it. Today's little box was my third parcel from Dixi, a delightful jewellery company selling jewellery suitable for any occasion. I'm most fond of their products that entwine boho and gothic, with stacks of rings or bracelets and delicately sculptured necklaces.
I think jewellery is something so personal and can express precisely what you want it to. It can emphasise your personality and pull together an outfit. You can see a small selection of my collection from their store below. I've been quite drawn to silver recently but I find that with auburn hair like mine that gold is so much warmer. I tried to choose pieces that fit together but also contrast in style, that way they'll work with other jewellery I own.
Quote by J R R Tolkien
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."
There is joy in the little things. This post is a homage to the goodness of 2016, the little things that helped push things forward for me when all the bad things happened.
January started with some really tough decisions. I was working in London doing freelance design work and getting paid a fair bit but the commuting was killing me, so I had to make a decision. The balance of leaving everything behind to start over again in London just didn't make sense anymore. The positive was I started journaling, making notes on how I felt and it made the decisions so much easier. I don't think I could be without the Hobonichi.
Looking for work became very bleak and I did an internship which reinforced my plans to not move to London because using the tube all the time and being alone so often felt like a breaking point. When I got back I became so unwell and had to take time out. I kind of lost direction for a while and only recently have I realised I don't need direction. I've made some pretty cool stuff with crafts and even my very first self-built PC.
I decided at the later end of 2016 that there was one person I could always rely on to make me truly happy and that was me. I spent so much time in 2015 worrying who liked me and what I was missing out on, in 2016 I embraced the art of just being by myself. Lonely at times but totally wonderful for focussing on new hobbies and the old ones too!
I want 2017 to be about growing who I am. Working on being back to the fit and hopeful person I was in 2010. My hopes are to read more and to take more photos, to leave behind selfies and social networks that make me feel hopeless or ironically lonelier.
Viva la 2017!
Quote by J K Rowling
"The longing you seek is not behind you it is in front of you"
Hello stranger, you seem to have stumbled upon my humble blog. Welcome! I've had a blog on and off since around 2007, that's a whole ten years now I can hardly believe it. Initially I started as a way to share my fashion interests, mostly Japanese street fashion at the time. I loved the crazy eclectic colourful Harajuku girl look, with Gyaru, Gothic Lolita and Decora very much on trend.
At some point a year or two later my interest in this waned somewhat, I was into new styles and had moved to a city in Scotland. My blog became more of a way to share my endeavours in to fitness and helped motivate me in to losing a lot of weight and getting pretty fit. At this time I was just starting my journey at college in to a Diploma in fashion and textiles.
Despite my Diploma going exceedingly well I decided to do my Degree in Graphic Design so again my blog changed with this, utilising Photography as I had invested in a Digital SLR camera. Unfortunately I am still much the novice in Photography. I did however find it fun to experiment with different design practices to enhance the look of the blog.
Eventually University was too intense to have time for blogging and fitness fell on to the back burner when I graduated. I find myself at a cross road deciding whether I want to blog and what to write about. Looking back it has always pushed me to do more, to read more, to learn new things. So with that I have decided not to worry about what I'm writing about but just work on doing more.
My 101 in 1001 on the old blog was fantastic for this so perhaps I'll create a list of things I'd love to do and make it a starting point for 2017.
I hope you'll stick around and read.
Quote by Maz Kanata (George Lucas)
Quote by Maz Kanata (George Lucas)