twenty thirteen goals

 Goals for 2013;

Knit presents for the majority of my close friends for christmas (I already know i want to knit patterned mittens for two close friends, a scarf for another, and something for my mother).
Learn how to knit: intarsia, patterned mittens and entrelac. OR at least one of these!
Knit a superfine lace anything!

Graduate!
Get involved with a local print studio, after I graduate and before I move away to hone my skills within a working environment and really get a feel for what it is like in the world.

Enter as many print competitions and art prizes as I can - there are hundreds out there and I will have no excuse not to get involved.

See a little bit more of the world.

Follow my detested eighteen month plan

Move to edinburgh (I think realistically this will happen in 2014, so maybe we'll say flat hunt in Edinburgh!)

Drive to visit my grandmothers.

Keep making work and enjoying it.

I know i'm a bit late to this party, but I wanted to welcome in 2013 (be it like twenty days late). This year, I wanted to set myself more achievable goals. Normally they're a bit vague, like "be happy", keep doing fun stuff, etc. I thought I would set myself more realistic ones!
So we had to do this dire unit at uni that was dubiously titled "professional futures": we had to plan out our life for the eighteen months after we graduate. Where we want to live, work, study, how we will afford this, etc. How unbelievably hideous, right? Right. I understand their theory behind it - we need to start thinking about our future and can't keep burying our head in the sand any longer.. the only problem is the lectures and the tutor himself have the problem of being horrifically demotivating, not to mention being awfully unprofessional and essentially saying that if we dared to either move back home with our parents, get a job that isn't art related, or god forbid, become a teacher we are worthless, useless, stupid, and why the fuck did we go to artschool? Tangent. Sorry. Getting to the important bit. It made me look at my savings and start to think realistically about where I want to live. After looking at flats in Edinburgh, where I would like to live.. I have enough money to live for at least a year, without working.. As I assume I'll be able to find at LEAST a part-time job there - I'm beyond excited.

This made me feel so much better. It's like this giant weight has been lifted. Who gives a shit if I don't have a career planned out - I know I can afford to live in amazing city and actually LIVE. It's like I just want this year to end, but in a completely good, thrilling and fresh way.

That afternoon, after realising this, I was hit with this intense excitement for the future, one that I have never had before. It's so, so thrilling. Here's to an exciting 2013!!

Have you set yourself any goals, and how have you been sticking to them?

hunter or stalker

I found these photographs hidden in the depths of my computer, and thought I would show you. It's one of my favourite things I've ever unearthed in charity shops - better than my fire king tea set and not quite as good as some of my favourite jewellery... but it has a place in my heart. I think I got it for about £1.95, if I remember rightly, and I use it to keep my jewellery in. Well, at the moment, my jewels are currently overflowing, and I think I'll have to move on to something bigger soon.. It's a really beautiful turned box with this amazing woodcut on the top. As a print-maker, I think I really admire the work gone in!

snowy daze

I know everyone must be sick of snow-photos.. but this my blog and I loved them. Went for a little walk in the woods near my house, it was so quiet and peaceful (except for the occasional dog) and it started snowing whilst I was out.. I went and sheltered under a big tree where no-one was near and it was so calming. I have been writing my dissertation about the power of wandering, journeying and pilgrimages, amongst other things, and in writing it, I kind of forgot WHY I found it so interesting in the first place. So after finishing my first draft on Saturday (9971/10000!) I slammed my laptop lid shut, shoved on  my new boots and went for a tramp around in the snow. It was everything I needed, at the time, though my heels are a little sore from the new boots, haha..

Below the jump are a load of other photos, which I pray you look at, cause some I am quite proud of! 

the importance of being fat

As you may be aware if you follow my blog: I am a larger girl. Curvy, plus-size, chunky, thick, fat.. I have heard it all.

Recently I seem to be hearing it a lot. I am so fucking fed up of it - I am fed up of laughing it off, laughing to myself or thinking that I need to try and prove something to someone. Let me tell you: I don't. When I think about who I am: the fact I am fat does not even enter my brain. If it doesn't bother me, it sure as hell shouldn't bother you. Better yet, I don't give a shit if it bothers you: it is not an issue. A complete, stinking, non-issue.

I was going to sit and list the situations and why you shouldn't call people fat as an insult, but let's be honest here: if you are even reading this, you're probably not the kind of person that would be petty enough to use that as an insult. And if you are, I would like you to learn from this.

So let me just say this: If fat is the best insult you can come up with - you need to grow the fuck up. You need to get the fuck over yourself. You need to fucking educate yourself. Most importantly, you need to stop. Being FAT is not an insult. Being fat is nothing to be ashamed of, stop making us feel so damn shitty about it. Fat people are probably better people than anyone that uses it as an insult.

There are far more upsetting and insulting things you could think of to say about me: I would beg that you use these, because if that is the most intelligent thing you can think of to say about me then you are possibly the LEAST intelligent person that I know.