What's to come?

Hello my Sweeties!

I hope you had a really good time turning in the new year! Calvin and I had some nice food, chilled out watching TV and then watched the London Fireworks, which were frankly, A-MA-ZING! Remixed ELO and a mega abundance of fireworks, what could be better?

2012 was a difficult year. This time 12 months ago I was planning the start of my new business, very excited and researching all my potential suppliers! I also finished one course and started another. Going back to uni was the best decision I could've made, being a few years older, I've really appreciated it and know the importance of studying, rather than just seeing it as a stop gap. I will, however, be changing my degree from Economics and Marketing to Management and Marketing, which is possible to do due to the generic first year at Hull Uni Business School. Brilliant :)

I also moved out and in to a new flat with my boyfriend, Calvin, and spent 3 and half months there while we tried to find somewhere else! Sleeping in a bedroom no bigger than a double bed, with no windows that opened, was just killer! Eugh, scumbag landlords, eh?!

We found our perfect house which we're decorating slowly. 

We got Catface! Our adorable little black male kitten.

I turned 21, and Calvin and I got engaged!

2012 was definitely the year of firsts and I hope this continues positively into 2013. 

Instead of resolutions (well, ok, I made one not to procrastinate!) I decided to focus on things I want to do/achieve this year. 

One thing that is really important to me and that I want to prove to myself is that I can finish my first year of university and pass. My first attempt I had to leave due to illness, my second it just wasn't for me, and this is my third. If I fail, there are no more chances, so no matter what, I have to continue! I think it's because I get focused onto something else and I feel like that would be the better option and life is too short to do something that you don't want to. But sometimes that's just not true, I've got to be more focused this year. Finish my degree, and then consider the next steps. Whether that is doing another course, a postgrad, or find a job. 

I also want to become more organised, make my office space prettier and start buying artwork that inspires me. I also want to start developing my own style. I love to draw, but what often puts me off is that I try and work to a certain style and if it isn't perfect, I stop and get disheartened. I shouldn't do this, art is something to be enjoyed.

I also want to travel more with Calvin. We have a tattoo session booked in with an artist called Alicia Rafferty at Inspirations Tattoo Studio, Leeds, England. So that'll be a nice day out!

Talking of tattoos, I want more, of course I do, I always have. I'm considering what to do next. Our wedding isn't for 3 years or so, and I know that I don't want anymore than quarter sleeves by then. I love brides who wear their ink with pride, and it's not that I'd be ashamed, I just feel like I want to be married and secure and "successful" before I start venturing out any further. 

I certainly have plenty of space to do so! I currently have 4, two large pieces on my back, one big one on my thigh and a little one just next to it. So I have most of my back, thighs,  and top of my arms. I think I do want to have full sleeves, or at least half, a few calf tattoos, feet and hands possibly!

2013 will be the year of commitment, focus and creativity. Yeah, that sounds about right :) 

Peace and Love!

xx

For the love of Art

Hello my beauties :) How is everyone today? I'm well, had a relaxing day doing a few errands and going to college. The weather is terrible here, but I'm hoping it will get better soon!

A week or so ago I bought one of the most beautiful bikes ever! It's very simple, but dutch, traditional, pink, has a big wicker basket and cute print panniers. It's also very comfortable to ride and is steeped in history, which I love! It's a Gazelle Basic Single Speed (Gazelle being the oldest Dutch bike company) and it's PINK (Havana Pink to be exact) <3 I bought it from the lovely people at East Coast Bicycles in Hull, you can find them here and here.

<3 The start of a life long love affair I think!

I had a video to hand in for a college deadline, so, as is me, I got it done the week before (fantastic you think! Until I tell you we've had the brief for about 4 months! Whoops!) I headed over to Flamborough North Landing, an absolutely tiny bay on the East Coast about an hour away from Hull, just past Bridlington. It was a perfect location and I can't wait to go back when the weather is better to get some more footage and photos. I also took the opportunity to use up the film in my camera for college, we have a landscape assignment due in the first week of May, where we must use film (eeep!). I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival so I can get them scanned in and see what they're like, really loved using the Canon EOS 3. 

The shop is going well, we've added some new stock from Sourpuss last week, you can check it out here :) Hull's Angels Roller Derby are having a bout May 13th in Hull against the Bruising Banditas and we'll be having a stall there among some over local business. For more info check out the Facebook event. 

Recently I've been indulging in reading the blogs of some of my favourite people, specifically Honey Bee In the City, Cupcake's Clothes, The Plus Size Life of Tess Munster. 

Also pinning everything in sight on my pinterest account, remlangton, especially French Bulldogs, home interior, crafting and delicious food <3

Tess Munster <3

Texas Trash 

1 package cream cheese 1 cup sour cream 2 cans (16 ounces, each) refried beans 1 packet taco seasoning 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded... must try:)

I can so see Calvin doing this sometime in our future!

I'd call him Frank <3

Beautiful Ranunculus <3 Quickly becoming my favourite flower!

I live by this!

How gorgeous is this print combo? I think a polka dot skirt is in the making!

I'll be posting soon enough with something a bit more structured, but for now you'll have to put up with this brief update and pretty pictures!

XOXO

Truancy!

Oh my dear readers!

I must apologise for the extended absence these past few months! Life just got on top of me and the daily blogs just took a back seat. But this is set to change indeed!

I'll give you a little lowdown and much needed explanation for the truancy! So, the last time we talked was back in the middle of September when I was starting my classes and getting back into the swing of "being a student" something that I hadn't been for well over 9 months. I was beginning my degree in "Lens Based Photo Media" i.e. Photography and a bit of Video, my AAT in Accountancy. I went through a horrible break up and was just getting to know the people on my courses and making some good friends. Hurray for being less socially awkward!

3 Months later in January 2012 I was now with my lovely boyfriend (I'd like to say partner, but it's way too formal!) Calvin and I couldn't be happier, college was getting crappier and I was seriously stressing out with some new ideas that I really wanted to implement.

Step back to Christmas 2011, I had a brainwave to open up my own shop, specialising in Alternative clothing with a 50s edge. I knew it would work, how I wanted it to look, what I wanted to call it and that it was exactly what my town needed, an injection of vintage retro style!

In January I decided to go into business with my aunt who had a similar shop on the other side of the river and wanted to be closer to home. We found a retail space, got the financial backing from the bank, and bought our first lot of stock! By 17th March we were having our Grand Opening and starting to make money!

All while this was happening I was having issues with college, thankfully because of my Aunt I missed a minimal amount of coursework; the issues were more about the quality of education we were receiving, and as student rep it was my job to bring it up and get it sorted.

Despite any action that might take place in the next few weeks, I have decided to leave at the end of the academic year and focus purely on the shop and my accountancy. I can earn so much more and progress further if I don't have a few hours a day, 5 days a week of something that at the moment seems quite pointless. It's such a shame as I really enjoyed the first few months, but when your enthusiasm, inspiration, determination and positivity is at nil, its time to make a change.

I'll be doing my AAT Accountancy course on one day, rather than two evenings, and hopefully get enrolled to start on my CIMA exams (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) in order to be chartered by the time I finish my AAT. Then I can start on a career which can earn me decent amounts while being free to build up my business as I'm hoping to freelance with the Accountancy.

Seriously exciting times, there is so much I want to do, that I know will release some potential in the shop, get me a decent wage.

Inspired by the lovely Kaelah of Honeybean Boutique fame I am composing a goal list of "20 before 21" keep an eye out for it in the next post!

Back To School: The Right Course of Action

  Good Evening, hope you've had a good day :) Tonight I'll be talking about going back to school and what its like for me. 

Two weeks today I'll be heading back to school/college/university. It's actually going to be a new school for me, as I left the school where I had been for the last 7 years back in summer 2010.  I had started a university course in October 2010 in Philosophy and Film, but after illness and difficulties in catching up I dropped out during the Christmas break. It was a good course, but I just hadn't enjoyed the kind of unique environment a university offers and I much preferred a college setting. 

Anti-Procrastination.

   In less than 3 weeks I'll be starting a BA in Photography, that means 3 years of studying towards a degree in the subject that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love it because it means so much to me, I think it's one of the most important advances in the last hundred years, from 12 hour long exposures to achieve a grainy picture to perfect images of anything, anywhere. Less than seventy years ago, who would have thought we could achieve an image like the one below?

An image of The Trifid Nebula, taken by the Hubble Telescope, is a stellar nursery. 9,000 light years from here, where stars are being born.

  

    Like seriously? I just think that this is just unbelievable incredible. But until space travel is a regular occurrence and can be funded through goodwill bakes, I will just have to stick to more terrestrial subjects.

    

    The hate comes from finding it so difficult to get inspired, it just happens, so I've always found working to a brief very hard; this is where I will potentially fail in my degree. But I really hope not. Whenever I think of ideas for a project or shoot, it has always been done before, and if you think of taking a more original angle on it, that has been done! Maybe my approach this year will be technique and getting the lighting, subject and setting right above all else. Argh, scary.