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?

//Website//Twitter//Facebook//

Don't forget to leave your blog link in the comments   

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?

//Website//Twitter//Facebook//

Don't forget to leave your blog link in the comments

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 >







//Website//Twitter//Facebook//

Don't forget to leave your blog link in the comments   

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.

  //Website//Twitter//Facebook//

Don't forget to leave your blog link in the comments