I’m away from my graphics tablet; forgive the shitty face-hiding plz, also do not have the saved code for the alternate comments box - if you want to say something and it isn’t working, email! Address on the right of the front page!
A week’s Cornwalling in late July goes something like this:
These are they that spawned me (“my mum and dad”)
Gimpy tortoise! There was a whole array of gimpy moss animals, but this was my favourite. He looks so calm about it.
Hand of my mother! Picture by my mother!
Sister hearts dogz
Then some people came, and we didn’t feel like seeing people, so we ran away across the mud flats (tide was out; creek)..
And for those curious, here is the state of my VW + Melissa rubber shoes after taking all but two days worth of a walking-packed week’s holiday:
Barely scratched at all! I was worried, having heard anecdotes of shoddy VW jewellery for (natch) non-shoddy prices.. but my worries were all for naught. Spiffing!
How does an extremely minimally employed person afford a holiday anywhere? Sometimes they’re lucky enough (and believe me - I appreciate how lucky I am) to have parents who say “we booked a house and it wouldn’t cost any extra for you and your plus-one to come along, it would be lovely to have you!”. THANK YOU PARENTS, again.
Hahaha, I just made you look at holiday snaps! Do you hate me, now?
This is the secret handshake, internet. Let us sort the msties from the chaff.
You see, Ironside really likes chili. He feels it is “the only food fit for man”, because it has all the right nutrients! So, chief.. what’s your recipe? What goes IN this amazing chili? We’re all dying to hear.
The first picture was referenced, the rest were referenced from the first or from memory.
OK OK I’ll give you this one for free! Because I like y’all.
I’m Dinner Ladying the rest of this week and all week and I’m in TROUBLE, because this morning when I got dressed to go to work I had to wear my sister’s clothes.
I’ve gone over in some detail the personal troubles I have with summer clothes, but now I have met the professional perils and they buffeted me onto my rear. See how:
My job entails squeezing around tiny tables and chairs making sure kids eating their lunches are behaving, seeing if they need their food cut or their yoghurts opened, pouring drink, etc. Then I have to make sure they’re safe and happy running and climbing around outside. Skirts and shorts are a bad idea; I don’t trust 4/5 year olds to be fully cognizant of physical boundaries, f’rex. Low-cut or loose tops are a bad idea because I do a lot of leaning over, ditto hipster trousers (no child needs to see the crack of authority). Button-up tops are a bad idea because they gape. The few graphic t-shirts that I own are either intricate - interesting and distracting (they ask me my name often enough - “what’s that about?” is a question I’d like to avoid answering seven thousand times), or scary (when I was small I wouldn’t have wanted to stare at the Crimson Ghost whilst eating, that’s all). Sweaters or roll-necks are WAY too hot right now- really anything long-sleeved is. Showing my belly is inappropriate. And so on. And so on. And so on!
O___O’
This, in my wardrobe, leaves nothing!
!!!
It also does not help that both my pairs of trousers are in the wash right now. Oh, bravo, bravo, I know.
Sister was in the shower so I grabbed and contorted my way into a shirt I haven’t seen her wear for ages and the first pair of skinnies on her floor.
I safety-pinned the back of the shirt of the seat of the trousers because when they say they are low rise they really
are not bluffing, and thank goodness I had a badge of comparable size when I noticed this at the last minute -
..What the heck am I going to wear tomorrow?
When I get paid, I might be looking in to some skinny “jeans” in an interesting colour - I really like the way they just fitted right into my boots. Any recommendations on where to get good quality examples?
It feels like I’m complaining a lot recently. Sorry about that! I will try to do better.
Yesterday (in ‘borrowed’ cowboy boots, thanks sister) I pulled up my first garlic. I planted them last.. October, I think, and yesterday I watched Fear & Loathing on my laptop and made a Thai curry with king prawns and flavoured it: with my garlic. I have to say, it was pretty delicious. Growin’ stuff is neat!
That’s the garlic. Isn’t it fine? It’s not done yet, as you can see, but when it is.. there will be a lot. And I shall use it ALL!
Irises and crosuses (crocii still sounds better) too, though they’re in or nearing their prime already:
I think this type of iris is so weird looking. Like alien mouths.
I don’t know the names of the individual types of crocus. But I know that they are ridiculously easy to grow; put them in the ground, forget about them, be pleasantly surprised by small flower-cups!
This was an interesting texture - a rose hip that’s shriveled on the plant.
I hope I never stop being amazed at the colours that can be found in wood. This is burburis, which is apparently a very defensive plant. It’s danger-yellow when grazed, I’m told it’s poisonous-bitter, and it’s extremely thorny. Extremely. Ouch.
I spent twelve til four building and tending a bonfire of all the scrubby old dead crud left over at the end of a garden’s winter. It was a job of heaving and smoked eyes, trampling and poking and blowing and propping and coaxing and HEAVING HARDER. Ivy and other scrub tangles as easily as hair if left to its own devices! But I had a big shiny fork to help me, which was nice.
I’ve got no flippin’ clue why or when this went so crap. It was fine and sharp when I finished editing it.. fantastic.
It was a little bit like I had slain a forest spirit-beast; the branches on top of the bonfire were antlers and the weeds were its flankshag. Not the kind of death that makes you a villain, though. The kind that forges respect between the two involved, and makes you responsible for that area of woodland for example.
Poloneck: second hand, Sweater: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright (second hand), Shorts: etsy, Bloomers: Blanc et Neige, Socks: The Pound Shop, Boots: Dr Martens
You may or may not know, my little (though actually bigger than me) sister is in a band. They do some of their own songs, and cover a bunch of songs in the Queen/The Who vein. I am very proud of her. But because of that, the fact that she can’t drive by herself yet, and the fact that her exams are over for now my family took a daytrip to the town where they’re playing tonight. Let’s explore Moreton in Marsh!
This first thing deserves a paragraph of its own - I walked around a tiny park, and the tiny park had no, I repeat no crisp packets outside of the bin. Say it with me: LET’S KEEP BRITAIN TIDY!
Tiny park seen in background here! I was mimicking a pigeon. Dad wasn’t, so I gave him this head to compensate.
Moreton in Marsh is one of those confectionary towns. It’s “the gateway to the Cotswolds”; the main streets are just picturesque, all big blocks of sandstone, heavy doors (some giant, some tiny), great large windows on antique shops and gift shows and tea shops.
This Ruskin quote is the kind of thing more buildings should incorporate. Isn’t it just nice?
Speaking of tea shops. We ate lunch in The Marshmallow(where I got to read about four more pages of TG:Armadillo). I’d been pulling for Thai, but Dad pointed out that this Marshmallow had been honoured by UK Tea Council multiple times. And I do love a good cuppa. One of the Christmas presents I asked for - and received! Hurray! - was a subscription to the Twinings Tea of the Month club! I drank a pot of “Kenyan” (or.. was it “Kenya”?), because the menu described it as colourful. It was tasty, but it paled, actually, when lunch proper arrived. Cottage pie. Creamed mashed potato. Perfectly cooked vegetables. The end of my Mum’s beef casserole with cobbler. A fair bit of my sister’s portion of veg. A taste of my Dad’s liver and onions. I swear, I coulda kept going and going.
Would you like a loyalty card? Dad says no. Of course. What do I say? Oh come on, you can guess.
Oh yeah. Honoured by the ME Council!
I also enjoyed the wallpaper in the hotel the band’s (I did their logo!) playing at.
I felt just about right in what I was wearing, situationally (sweaterdresses + antiques = Just Right), but I think I’m gonna sew buttons around the inside of the hem and around the lower half of the neckline. I feel OK with a shorter skirt and a high neck, or a lower neckline and a longer skirt, but short and low (I know it’s not extreme. But it is for me! Especially with this long jacket warping perception) makes me feel a bit flashy. Dickies and faux-slips, from now on!
You can see my silver Queen’s Head charm in this one.. It’s another ‘77 Silver Jubilee memento. I’ll outline why I like that stuff so much another time.
I took some video on the way home. The light was so beautiful, and the countryside really should be seen and appreciated! Good editing practice, too. Which reminds me! Can I get some volunteers to give me constructive criticism on a video? It would be really, really useful!
Jacket: Topshop modified by necessity (the pocket lining’s given now, too..), Sweaterdress: Jane Marple, Tights: We Love Colors, Boots: Dr Martens, Slipperclogs: Fitflops, Neckerchief: hand-me-down from my beloved’s Mum
I’m still adding the new comments format! But I’ve figured out a way to keep them off the front page. Click the title, or normal “comment” button, and see!
It was delicious. As well as being an excellent shade of green, pistachios are an excellent flavour!
Having written yesterday about “what I have bought this month”, naturally today I went out and made four more purchases. You’re ruining it for me, I hear you cry! My predictions are all thrown off! Well, that will teach you to make assumptions based in consumerism. But I know, I know, it’s all my fault.. So to make up for it, I’m going to have a go at saying I will do this in a blog entry and then actually doing “this”. It’s not that I’ve given up on all the posts I’ve said I’m going to do - these things just take time! And sometimes, equipment.
Anyhow. Coming up in February (or maybe a bit before), four separate reviews of four separate books.
First, because it’s smallest, this single-issue floppy. I picked it up after finding neither of the trades I wanted in the comic shop that’s technically local to me, but ridiculously tricky to get to, and then having seen both Jubes and Gambit and No-Girl on the cover. Then when I flicked through, Quentin Quire! I think that kid is just adorable, his angstpain is just so all consuming and his anger so impotent — despite his great psychic abilities. And he’s so SURE that he’s RIGHT! Grant Morrison, your work is often groovy.
After I left the comic shop (and after I completely failed to find anything I was after for research in HMV) I wound up in Waterstones, where I found three separate comics - or comics-derivative - books. I feel guilty! Comics should be bought from speciality stores! Or they’ll DIE! But I didn’t seen any of these things in that shop! So to make up for it, here’s a plug..
Anyway. Onwards.
Tank Girl. Always a plus, no? Yeah, even the movie. If you don’t appreciate it, maybe you’re looking at it funny? This is a text-only book, a novel. I bought it for novelty value, honestly - can Tank Girl work without images?? We’ll find out!
Jennifer’s Body: this isn’t a novelisation of the movie, apparently. It’s four short stories about how boys in the school perceive Jennifer. I haven’t seen the movie yet but the commentary on Jezebel was fascinating and I’m planning on a dvd watch; I’m generally interested in less than franchise-y peripheral add-ons to fiction and, yeah, I want to see how the (male) writer adheres to or strays from the feminist slant of the film’s plot. STAY TUNED.
The Complete Nemesis the Warlock vol. 2. I want to read more classic 2000AD in general, more Pat Mills in particular, and a black-and-white phonebook post-apocalyptic epic is just what I need on a rainy day. Plus, my beloved said it was good one time, and he usually has pretty good taste.
SO. Let’s see, huh? I’m excited! I hope you are too! And please, don’t think you’ll be bored if you’re here for fashiony stuff. Don’t expect a review from me that ignores character design.
I chose this outfit because, well, I like it. I like winter textures, and softness, and sparkles. I like dark colours and clothes that cling warmly and that keep out the cold. I like feeling like if I fell into a fairytale, I would be dressed for it. I like clothes that have history, which these do: the hat had a previous life in Russia, the dress had a previous life in America and before that in Japan (Brand: Victorian Maiden. Though I altered it). The long-sleeve shirt could have been anywhere, that is yet another draw to Charity shopping for me. I like deep reds, and blacks that don’t look harsh. I like not clashing with the colours of nature.
The song, obviously, is one of those “Christmas songs” (though not mentioning the WORD), but is sung by Joan Jett. And that makes it hugely better (though this version has a child playing drums and some talking over it, for some reason). The soup and the honey’d lime are just tasty! And easy to homemake!
Happy Winter, everyone. To my countryfolk and others.
This kaftan, I love it. It’s so comfy! And it flows so nicely, too. It even has a hood. It’s a product of the seventies, of course, I bought it from the vintage shop Second-hand Rose in Worcester. Second-hand Rose is a really nice shop, actually; It’s smallish and cosy and everything’s well set-out. The walls are partially covered with old magazine pages.. the one that stood out to us was the topless teen Scott Baio. Oh, Bugsy, you saucepot. The cashier was even friendly!
I’ve been working nine til six these past two weeks hence lack of decent posting, so here is a picture of some delicious cake my beloved and I made.
The blue goo is sour raspberry. It’s delicious trash that comes in a massive tube, and it tastes surprisingly fantastic on excellent chocolate cake. That is a TIP FOR YOU!
Pumpkin Soup (the ultimate autumn food) with wensleydale. For the recipe, click here for my other blog.
By the end of this week I’ll have another entry up there; a “how I made this thermal vest into an awesome wearable shirt” post. I love thermals, personally, and I like multi-purpose clothes. Having vests and undershirts that also work as day-shirts pleases me! The one I’m wearing today has a Tomb of Dracula decal (thanks to bronze age of blogs). One of my favourite comics on one of my favourite types of clothing.. That makes for a happy me!
LET'S BE BUDS, BUB IllustratorClaire: Twenty-three year old Illustrator and Englisher, female feminist, interested in being helpful and denouncing things that aren't. Designed and drew the Britsh Style Bloggers logo; available to hire on just about any illustration project. Currently working as a Dinner Lady. For illustration portfolio, click the "tales from the sketchpages" tag or my logo below! Why do I do this? click here. Thank you!
I am not paid - in money or in gifts or favours - to endorse anything here. If I was, I would be bad at it, because lying is ugly.
If you've commented here and it isn't showing up, it's not because I hate you! It's because either wordpress or 1and1 hate me. Give me a shout on claire [at] illustratorclaire.co.uk, or claire [at] britishstylebloggers.org.uk!
Oh, and by the way - I do tend to post on Sundays, so if you find that day a little net-empty.. check back? Great idea!
