Five Favourite Blogs

One of the Everyday in May topics that I missed was to post a list of my favourite blogs and I thought that it was a good time to catch up. My list is a mix of friends, blogging idols and blogs I visit regularly for inspiration and motivation. If you’re up for discovering some new bloggy friends then click through the list.

Tomorrow I'll share my favourite Tweeters, so be sure to check back.

Am Bothan is written by my best bud Anna and is where she shares her adventures on the isle of Islay and other treks around Scotland.  Anna has a love of Scotland's Gaelic culture and heritage and you can't help but feel a wee twinge of healthy patriotism when you read her posts. Plus there is always a beautiful pic involved showcasing just what a beautiful country we live in. Tapadh leibh Anna!

"I have personal and professional interests in the field of culture-heritage and like nothing more than discussing and sharing ideas on both culture and heritage with others. Further interests you might come across here include: archaeology, handcrafts, music and landscapes."

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Another talented friend of mine, Kirsty is the author of new blog Bake Good. For years Kirsty has been treating the world to her baked goods and in high school we all got fantastically designed birthday cakes {two of mine were Lord of the Rings and Linkin Park; nom, nom nom} that tasted equally amazing. In Bake Good Kirsty shares some of her favourite recipes from her many cook books, some of which have been altered by her own expertise and know-how. I'll definitely be trying one of her recipes soon.

"I hope to share some of my favourite recipes, whilst also pushing myself to try out bakes I have never attempted before (mostly bread) as well as working my way through the backlog of cookbooks I have piling up on my shelves that I haven’t baked nearly enough from!"

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Julie Ann Art is a wonderful blog that I found while trying to find an anniversary card for Peter. I fell in love with Julie Ann's cards instantly and check the blog daily for news and new designs. Julie Ann has also played a massive role in inspiring me in my plans for taking DaisyBisley to the next level, so if you're reading this Julie Ann, thank you.

"Julie Ann Art is a lifestyle blog with a focus on self employment, indie business tips, and DIY tutorials. Here, Julie discusses the challenges and successes she faces while pursuing her small business full-time. She takes great pride in the content of my blog and hope readers are left feeling creative and inspired. Her blog has become her creative outlet, where she can not only document all of her ideas, inspirations, and handmade projects, but share them with other crafty nerds like herself!"

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Melyssa at The Nectar Collective is my newest blogging idol. I love her posts on positivity and creativity and I do hope to one day have a blog as awesome and inspiring as hers. Melyssa has such a unique voice that keeps you reading and coming back for more. Nectar Collective is full of laughs and a variety of posts. Personal favourites are "Musings by Monja" - Posts by Melyssa's cute corgi and "Japan: the Good; the Bad and the Bizarre" - a collection of good, bad and strange things about living in Japan. Now that I'm venturing out in to self employment, Nectar Collective has become a daily stop for me to find positivity and inspiration when I need it most.

"I will share anything I can that makes me come alive, and that I think might help you, too – DIY projects to get your hands moving, advice to help you become your best self, recipes to reconnect you with the wonderful creativity in cooking, photos and stories from adventures all over the world, and anything else to help you learn, grow, experience, and create."

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 Now that we're talking about inspirational blogs, I feel I have to share Story of my Life. Those of you that took part in the Blog Everyday in May challenge already know Jenni and her beautiful blog. Those of you that don't I urge you to head over for a nosey. Jenni writes about life, fashion, blogging and her photography. If it wasn't for Jenni and her blogging challenge I wouldn't be here finally getting stuck in to my blogging dreams of world domination! Thank you Jenni.

"I run this blog and my photography business for a living in Austin, TX. I love what I do and where I live, and I'm grateful I can say that. Writing and photography and social media truly are my passion in life."

 

Thanks to all on the list for inspiring me to be a better blogger and setting me on the right track to achieving my goals. Oh and please check back tomorrow when I'll share my favourite Tweeters.

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Letting Go

Day 30: React to this term: Letting Go

I have to admit I'm finding it hard to put this one in to words, so a list will have to do. Here are a few things I'd like to let go of:

• The negative part of my brain that tells me I'm crap at something or that I "can't" do something. I'm working on this one with a lot of research in to mindfulness and meditation... hope it works.

• The 15lbs I've gained in the past two years - I'd like to get back to my fitter, healthier state.

• The evil procrastinator in me that has a hand in why nothing has been done about the previous statement.
• The annoyance I feel when someone from Glasgow asks how I spell my last name.
•  The nerd rage that builds up when someone bashes Lord of the Rings - I'm looking at you Peter! - It's the source of my nerd power.

Other than that I don't think I need to let anything else go. However I would like to pick a few things up; a wee boost in self confidence, a 100% foolproof regime for my unpredictable auburn curls, another tattoo and to improve my cooking repertoire. So if anyone has any tips on feeling more confident, tricks on taming curls or some really good recipes please feel free to share and I'll get started!

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5 Songs

With our challenge quickly nearing its end I'm a little bit sad. It's been a great month of prompts, meeting new folk and learning more about myself and writing. I'm looking forward to continuing the blog without so many prompts and coming up with my own features, but I have to admit I'm nervous about it!

On to today's topic: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. I love music and it has been a constant friend throughout my life, working like a therapist during the bad times and enhancing the good times by association. Helping to mould me in to the person I am. It was difficult to pick just five songs that mean something to me as there are so many, so I thought it might be best if I choose those that kind of sum up feelings and memories as a whole. Let's see how I do.

T Rex and 20th Century Boy in particular takes me back to high school and specifically one night during a concert that my best friends and I put on. You know who you are and you know what moment of the night I'm talking about. I put the Placebo version in too as they remind me of the 90s indie child rebelliousness we all had.


Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Price's Summertime is essential to my summer. We don't get many sunny days in Scotland so we have to make the best of them and this is part if my sunshine playlist. It's kind of the same thing at Christmas - It's not Christmas until Noddy Holder screams it and Die Hard is on telly. Summer isn't summer without this track and Boom Shake the Room wouldn't go a miss either.

Let's get a bit soppy for a moment. This is our song, we danced together for the first time to it and it pretty much sums up how we feel.


DeVotchKa came in to my life in late 2005 when I heard How it Ends in the trailer for Everything is Illuminated and I went on an internet treasure hunt to find out what/who it was. Much to my joy they did a lot of work on the soundtrack for Little Miss Sunshine with Michael Danna - both these movies are also two of my favourites and Everything is Illuminated is also a fantastic and beautiful book you should read.

I've also added We're Leaving as it was a track they played at one of their gigs. They jumped down and in amongst us and performed it acoustically. it was and still is one the best gigs I've ever been to.

No musical journey of my life would be complete without Bon Jovi. I have loved them since I can remember and they have been there through thick and thin. Many a day has been spent singing/screaming a long to Jon Bon.

I also wanted to add this little video.


It's my wee brother's birthday today and we both loved Spaced, hence the DaisyBisley name. He's 26 years young today and the sun is shining - so get Jazzy Jeff on and have a great day bruv!

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Home and Away - Only in Pictures

 

 

 

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Dear Reader...

Day 27 of the challenge is A Letter to Your Readers, so I wrote you all a wee letter.

 Apologies for any spelling mistakes and if you can't read my writing!

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Rita Hayworth and a Good Read

I missed yesterdays topic as it was just too sunny to stay inside so I'm posting both today starting with Day 25: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad). Now I suspect that this is in no way true, but I keep it in my mind as it made me pretty smug happy. One night at work in the theatre a truly wonderful lady of the older generation told me I looked like a young Rita Hayworth. A couple of years ago a doppleganger post was going around Facebook and when I did one of those "which celebrity do you look like" things I got Rita Hayworth. I was over the moon as I LOVE her, but took it all with a pinch of salt. However, the fact that this kind older lady said the same makes it a fact and I'm sticking to it!!

Moving swiftly on: Day 26: Share something you've read online. I love a good Infographic, especially funny ones. I found this one today and have used it to decipher my inner geeky/nerdyness. According to this I am in fact not a nerd, but some kind of Geek/Nerd hybrid a Gerd or a Neek perhaps  - Excellent!!

Any other Gerds/Neeks out there?


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My 3 Worst Traits

It's another list topic today and I do love a good list. Our Blog Everyday In May post today is to list our 3worst traits and I like to think that like Mary Poppins I'm practically perfect in every way, but hey apparently I'm not! So, grudgingly, here is my short list of flaws.

1. I call it creative chaos, but my Mum calls it nesting. Not nesting in the normal womanly ways when we have a home, but encircling myself with paper, pencils, paint, canvases and at one time melted nappy liners. See I am an expressive person when it comes to art and so need every possible medium surrounding me at anyone time. Ok I'll just drop the excuses - yes I am messy. There I admitted it, are you happy Mum?! Probably, as now it's Peter that has to deal with it not you.

2. I'm a bit of a procrastinator - I constantly need to write to do lists in order to get things done. I'm getting better a this and this challenge really has helped. So here's to my non-procrastinating future.

3. This is an odd one and annoys Peter soooo much and it's probably more of a habit than trait. Every night, and I mean every night not just on occasion, I get in to bed and flick the covers under my heels. Peter is at least two inches taller than me so his feet are now sticking out of the duvet getting cold. After about a year or so of this he finally broke down and asked me what the hell I was doing. You may have read my post about what I'm most afraid of, well this is just as ridiculous if not more so. Of course the Tellybox is 100% responsible for two reasons. Some of you may remember, in Britain anyway that night in 1992 when we were introduced to Mr Pipes who terrorised a family home and subsequently the telly studio. Then there was the episode Humbug of The X files that introduced the Fiji Mermaid, the little beastie mermaid thing crawling around the floor *bleurgh! - Thank you BBC1 and Chris Carter.

A wee sneaky peek at the horror we all faced as kids in the 90s

Unlike my fear of werewolves however I am fully recovered from the Mr Pipes and Fiji Mermaid horrors and now it's just a comfort thing to keep ma tootsies warm.

What are your worst habits or traits?

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3 Things You Won't Learn in School

I might feel a little bad about this one as I have cousins that are all swamped by exams and school right now and the last thing I'd want is angry Aunts and Uncles on my back screaming "she said what?!" Anyhoo, today's challenge topic is to share some things that school doesn't teach or prepare you for.

Lesson 1:

All the exams I studied for in high school meant very little in the grand scheme of things. Yes they helped me get my place in Uni, but overall it was my portfolio that did that. That huge glorious case I had to cart around to interviews that on the whole came from my own head. Further to that, my 1st class BA with Honours degree hasn't really opened many doors either. This is the biggest thing that schools just don't prepare you for. We are made to believe that once we got through school, we'd get to Uni and once we got through Uni we'd get a job. It's just not the case, especially in the creative industries. I was lucky however. One lecturer - just one - was good enough to be 100% honest with us. He said that there was very little chance of us getting a job straight out of Uni and that we'd have to work our guts out to get what we want, our grades and degrees mean very little. It's our drive, creativity and persistence that will land us the life/job we want.

Lesson 2:

Life doesn't play fair.
As a kid I was exposed to horror movies like Bambi and *gulp* The Land Before Time, so I kind of had an inkling that this might be the case. Later in life things can get hard with plenty of events to throw us off track just like a football bouncing off your face in a rainy Scottish playground {Any American friends may prefer the term curveball, but I would imagine the football to face scenario is far worse - the sound it makes!}

However, we can't let these things in life bring us down. Yes life can be cruel, but it's full of joy, wonder and love and that's what you have to hold on to to keep you going. Just imagine all your goals are the Great Valley and you'll be fine!

Lesson 3:

This is the biggy, to me anyway as I wish someone had told me when I was 5! All you budding artists out there, be you a painter, an illustrator, a musician or a writer, take note. Your teachers will try and mould your creativeness in to "right" and "wrong" in order to get good grades. By all means get good grades, but whatever you do remember to express yourself. Not your teacher, your exam paper or some other artist you admire - just you!

To all of you who want to be artistic and creative, but have wither been told or feel that you aren't good enough. Bollocks to that! If you want to paint, get your hands messy and paint. If you want to draw, treat yourself to a shiny new pack of pencils and go for it. If you want to play an instrument, pick up some spoons and bang those pots. Creativity is about expression of self. Do whatever you can to express that creative soul you have - we all have it! If you doubt it I would recomment reading If You Want To Write by Brend Ueland. It is a beautiful book that encourages creativity  not matter what your medium is.

Here's a link to an article that references Bill Gates: 11 Things They Don't Teach in School and from it comes my favourite life lesson: "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."

What are the lessons school didn't teach you?

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No Cameras... Please!!

Two things bug on a regular basis - Folk taking pictures in the theatre and those that use their phones in the cinema.

 < RANT >

Before I worked in the theatre, I must admit, I would have to count myself among the annoying folk who whipped out their camera at a gig to try and get a good photo to capture the moment, always to be disappointed by the outcome. Too far away, badly lit or someone's flailing hand getting in the way just as I hit the button.

Now it bugs me on so many levels. It is one of the most annoying things to have to deal with as an usher in the theatre. Pretty much 99% of the time you're not allowed to use them due to copyright and it can distract whoever's on stage - pretty dangerous if it's a travelling ice show. And sometimes there is even an announcement which is just blatantly ignored.

So why is it so annoying? I'm talking directly to those that do it now, yes you camera hound! *wags finger*

Well aside from the fact that you have clearly ignored any announcement, it's completely distracting for everyone around you, it's pointless and we're the ones who have to climb over disgruntled patrons to get to you and tell you to stop. When we get to you please take a moment to look at the patrons we have just disturbed in order to get to you. They're mad at us, but really should be mad at you.

Here's a thought. Enjoy the moment, be completely in it! Don't worry so much about capturing it - just be there. It's being there 100% that makes the memory. Not the shoddy, badly lit, shaky picture you've just taken. Savour the event, take it all in and enjoy it!

All of the above also really sums up my thoughts on phones in the cinema. If you can't go two hours without your phone and/or Facebook please refrain from visiting the cinema and visit a professional for your addiction to social media.

< /RANT >







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Digging Through the Archives

It's day 21 and I've missed 2 days - easily forgiven as I was spending the days with my Mum for her birthday. This involved her teaching me how to sort our wee garden, wanders round Ikea, lunch and dinner with The Bruv and Grandma and a girly trip to the cinema to swoon over one Mr DiCaprio. Fun times!

On to todays topic - A list of links to our favourite posts in our own archives. I've picked a few that I'm proud of and enjoyed writing the most.

A Public Apology


One of my favourite topics so far in the Blog Everyday in May challenge, writing a public apology to my brother for all the wrongs I have done.



DaisyBisley In The Real World


The invites are done! I was so chuffed to see these in person after our friends Joni and Joe asked me to design their wedding invites.



Weddings, Pirates, Turtles & Tattoos


A little catch up on some of the work I was doing in 2012, including custom tees, tattoos and the original wedding invitation design.



Ode To Special Fx

This was a post professing my love for special effects in movies and the hard work done by the artists that create them.

I hope there are as fun to read as it was to write them! Thanks for reading and please leave a link to your favourite post from your archive.

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Childhood Memories

Memories from my early childhood feel like dreams and things from later days have got jumbled up within the two major events that shaped them - my parents separating and the loss of my Grandpa. I have two memories that come with the latter. One has to be one of the most embarrassing and heartbreaking and the other is one of my most treasured. Let's get the embarrassing one out of the way.

My Grandpa was an engineer and had this massive drawing board in his office. As I was studying Graphic Communication at that time and was coming up for exams, my Grandma said that I was to inherit it.

As part of my English exam we had to give an instructional talk and my topic of choice was to show the class how this massive drawing board and the mechanical set square that was with it worked. I was waiting outside the class with a few other folk for the teacher when for some reason I had to leave for a few minutes. So I left the drawing board there and returned a little while later.

I hated talking in front of people {still do} so was already really nervous. Just as I was about to start I realised that the set square had been broken and wasn't working properly. I started to panic, shake and then cry in front of the whole class!

What happened from that point I don't remember, I just remember feeling so heartbroken that this thing I had inherited from such an important man in my life had broken - under my care. I felt sad and angry that I had left it alone and this had happened. I didn't do my talk that day and don't recall every doing it.

The drawing board now, in my office helping me get creative!

To the cheery memory now. We lost my Grandpa in December 1999 and that year I had was given one of my most treasured gifts. It was a portfolio case, with my initials on it,  full of graphical goodies - pencils, paper, French curves, set squares, letter transfers - everything I needed for my exams in the Spring and more.

They were given to me as a gift from my parents, but I felt the connection with Grandpa as he had used these kind of things throughout his life.

A few months later, I think during my exams I was sitting with Mum in the kitchen talking. I don't know how the subject came up, but at some point she told me the best thing. The portfolio and graphics equipment wasn't bought by her, they were bought for me by my Grandpa before he died.

This felt magical! It gave them a whole new meaning, I felt love for him and loved by him through them and every time I used them. I use the drawing board and all my tools to this day for my own work, it almost feels as if he's standing over my shoulder checking my work and saying "good work wee yin"

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Me, Me, Me...

I missed yesterday - Bad ME!! Speaking of me, Day 17 of the challenge is to pick our favourite pic of ourselves and explain why.

This has to be my favourite picture of myself as it shows off my wild side. How free spirited I am, taking on witches, Will O' the Wisps and even bears. All in a day's work!

I'm just joking {wish I wasn't}. I keep getting told that I look like Merida and truthfully, being the Disney/Pixar freak that I am, I take it as a BIG compliment. I still regret not moving to Orlando to become a full time Disney Princess, but there are some things I'll just have to live with.


Anyhoo, this is my favourite photo of myself. It was taken on a night out where we collectively realised we were the oldest folk in the club when a 19 year old was crying in the bathroom because, and I quote, she was "too old!" We were out celebrating a 29th so we were, as you can imagine unimpressed with this whining teenager and quickly exited to dance like the nutters we are to tunes from our own whinging youth - it was the indie floor playing "classics" by Oasis and Blur!

 

I'll admit I was a bit tipsy so I was a little less uptight about my photo being taken. For that reason it could be said, worryingly,  that this is the real me as I'm not trying my best to hide from the camera.


I thought I'd share this one too as it turns out there are only two photos in existence that I am happy for the world to see. This was taken for the Gen Up programme I went on in 2011 - it's the professional headshot I would have sent to Disney for the Merida job!

< self-indulgence > I have to admit, the one thing I love about me, is my hair! < /self-indulgence >

Got any favourite pics of you?? Or are you taking part in the challenge?

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