this week via instagram

I know these kind of posts saturate the blogging world, but I do quite like these little snapshots into someones life, and how they choose to present a face to the world via Instagram. I will admit that I try quite had to get my images looking nice, my Instagram is quite carefully managed. I think thats an odd thing to hear people admit - people want to give off the impression that they live this perfectly curated life, of perfectly angled coffee cups and pastries, of perfectly styled interiors, etc..
I always feel a little bit like I'm not good enough, when I read blogs. I think that is good for me, making me push myself to produce better content and do better for myself: on bad days though, I compare my life to theirs.

This is a very long way of saying: my life isn't like how I show it on Instagram. I mean, sometimes it is, but at the moment, for example, I'm in my PJ's at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon, make-up free, messy hair in a topknot, eating some easter chocolate, drinking an iced coffee and messaging my friend who is at work about how they've leaked the new episodes of Game of Thrones... 

Life isn't a really perfect Instagram shot, it's just me, trying to make things a bit prettier, and thats okay.

Easter weekend was spent a blur of food, cooking, baking, sleeping in, watching movies, and going on breezy walks with my brother. It was excellent - everything I needed to recharge my batteries and fully enjoy a bank holiday weekend! I've worked retail the past seven years, and I've never fully enjoyed the joys of the long weekend - I suddenly understood why everyone loved it! I made easter biscuits with my mother, walked around the heather gardens at Virginia Water, saw the Cinderella film with my friend, and just generally chilled. It was well needed.

This week saw me busy at work, I took my first solo business trip up to Sheffield, and sort of loved the city, from what I saw of it. I think it helps when you see somewhere in the sunshine, because it makes me happier. It's just over the Pennines from my mothers family, so I feel an affinity with the views and the accents, despite sticking out like a saw thumb with my home counties pronunciation. I ate dinner alone in Wagamamas, and it wasn't as hideous as I thought, and I was treated to the most stunning sunset over the hills, and I stood in the Meadowhall carpark until the sun colour drained from the sky just to watch it. (Oh, and I also took gratuitous selfies..)

This weekend has been a slow one, spent curled up on the sofa with coffee (alternating between iced, and hot), eating leftover chocolate, admiring the stunning blossom tree outside, going for lunch at the local revamped garden centre with my mother, and buying the most amazing, locally produced sausage rolls. I sat and devoured the Sunday paper, did some tidying and still, revelled in the joy of the weekend stretching out before me in one long stretch where I can do what I like! The sunshine has been close behind me all week, and I feel like it's pushing me along, edging me into summer with a little thrill of anticipation...

What have you been up to this week, and what do you think about how people present a face to the world on Instagram? I don't find it inauthentic, though some people would disagree -  I look at it as just trying to show your best face, like the difference between you in your PJ's, eating chocolate in the afternoon, or getting all dressed up ready for an evening out..!

my 2014 via the medium of instagram

Apparently I became something of an Instagram addict this year (particularly the second half of the year, I discovered in making this post!), and I so rarely do monthly-instagram posts, I thought it might be a fun thing to do whilst I'm curled up on the sofa this New Years Eve, suffering from a particular evil bout of flu..

January was cold, and the start of my weight-loss journey, but was also spent in Edinburgh and Scotland, which was very exciting. February mean trips to London, for coffee, nutella brownies and art with my friend Tam. It also meant trips to Unravel for brightly coloured yarn. March was unseasonably warm, with strawberries and cream ate outside, sock knitting whilst watching The Good Wife, and celebrating Mothers Day. Apparently I did nothing in April but knit, but May was spent on a very sunny outing to the Southbank to see an old friend before she emigrated, more knitting and time spent outdoors. I also squeezed in a rainy trip to London before the beginning of June. June was more knitting, unexpected trips to A&E, exploring the Peak District and savouring every second at the allotment. I also sewed my first shirt, and enjoyed my first home-grown strawberries and cherries.

July involved more time spent at the allotment, and basically as much time outside as possible, at the nature reserve and the airfield, and speeding time in the garden, too. It was also the summer of iced coffee, homemade lemonade and some new glasses. In August I celebrated a milestone of losing 4st by admiring how my face had changed, making some tasty little chocolate protein bites, and saying a very sad goodbye to the allotment. It was also the month I learnt to make lemon curd, jam and chutney properly, and treated myself to some proper trainers, which was very exciting. I also went on walks to Savernake forest with my dad, ate at Le Comptoir Libonais with my mum, and made an almond cake for a friends birthday. In September I made an amazing blackberry yoghurt cake, and had a dessert-night in with friends - it was also the month that things turned colder, I was lucky enough to visit the Berkshire country fair and I made more lemon curd and jams than I care to count. Some fun nights in London meant early starts, and I spoilt myself by making amazing soups and wonderful cinnamon buns.

In October I stared full-time work, so my last few days before that were spent revelling in how nice autumn is in these parts, before bracing myself for some chilly morning starts and lots of coffee. I also treated myself to a new phone case, started a new book and bought a beautiful candle. October is the month of the Knit and Stitch at Ally Pally, so I took a lot of photos of the amazing view from the hill. I also treated myself to some new red lipstick, wore my mums ridiculously embellished bra for Breast Cancer Awareness, ate lots of homemade porridge and rice pudding.  I was also apparently pretty vain in October, but that's okay, right? Haha. I also spent time down in the New Forest for my mums birthday, and dipped my feet in the ocean. There was also time for more porridge, new handbags, shoes, candles and winter clothing before the month was out.

November was full of trips to the zoo, lots of coffee, alcohol, and long, sad car journeys up north. To compensate for hours spent inside a car, I dragged myself on amazing autumn walks and went out for burgers with friends. I also had some cosy nights in, ate pancakes, dressed in turtle-necks and trench-coats, and had a final, sad trip up north. Back home, things felt more wintry, finally, with soup and winter skies settling in. My December was full of heavy frost, eating clementines, and making croissants. I also put up the Christmas tree with my favourite baubles, and treated myself to some wine and chocolate whilst doing so. Christmas was truly upon us when I busted out the fairy-lights, sloe-gin and mince-pies, and the giant lopi sweater. I spent some time outside, enjoyed a beautiful sunset, and made some more croissants, too. I also received some beautiful presents, ate croissants on Christmas morning, settled in with a good book, and then got ill!

I hope you're all having a wonderful, safe NYE, and I wish you good things for 2015! 

summerstagram

I love how green this is - I feel like I've been making the most of spending as much as I can of summer outside. I've also been spending time at the dis-used airfield near my house and the nature reserve nearby. With the exception of last week, when it has been Farnborough air-show, it's usually very quiet, with the odd dog or horse, and lots of slowly ripening blackberries. 

June involved a lot of trips to the allotment, which I post about here sometimes, as well as walks in the Peak district, and cherries from the tree in the garden. July was spent eaten giant apples, a lot of muffins, drinking coffee and peach & nectarine lemonade, and knitting. 

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram, and let me know yours! I love finding new and interesting people to follow.

my birthday week

me and my papa  -  my mum and my dad  -  a bird managed to get inside the feeder  -  dinner with dad

a new aloe vera plant from lidl  -  blue araucana eggs  -  birthday moon and a cat on a roof  -  birthday makeup in b&w

casting on new knitting projects  -  knitting in the garden  -  our pak choi flowering by mistake  -  finishing my yellow hat

my mum fashioned a shirt/dress from a scarf with a leopard on  -  strawberry birthday cake  -  a church in buckinghamshire  -  my dad taking me to the best field ever (more on that tomorrow..) 

I've had a really relaxing week this week - I turned twenty-four yesterday, which feels really weird. I feel like I've had a lot of mental stuff to deal with this year, and its made me feel a lot older, but after getting over a cold and finishing a horrible week of shifts at work, I've enjoyed doing homey things, like going to the allotment with my dad, organising his party with my mum, managing to get to the gym every day this week (oh yes) and then having a very relaxing weekend, with a little excursion today that was lovely lovely. I honestly couldn't be bothered to get all the stuff together for a weekend wandering today because I've had such a chill day, so you'll probably get a bumper edition next week! 

Right then, hope you've all had a great weekend and got a little bit of sunshine wherever you are - I'm off to eat dinner, a saffron and lemon chicken recipe from my new cookbook - Persiana!

my summer via instagram

blackberry cravings / teeny-tiny birthday fish / allotment or secret garden? / new summer fragranes

big tank for the babies / popcorn from scratch / graduation roses / new shelving

hibiscus iced tea / amazing iphone case / perfect books / living in houseplant jungle

stoke on trent sunshine / first allotment harvest, broad beans / knitting gloves in the summer? / heat exhaustion

reading at dusk / my terrarium is thriving / perfect sunflowers / american beverages

sunny lake days

I had a busy week last week and did a few things here and there, so expect a couple of upcoming posts, and on Thursday last week I went to Virginia Water with my housemate, Alex. It is probably one of my absolute favourite places to go when the sun comes out and when the winter comes, it's perfect year-round. There is a huge lake with small sections of sand and places where you can paddle, a mini-waterfall/cascade, a totem pole, lots of cute dogs, and my favourite of all things, the Roman ruins! They are actual ruins from Leptis Magna that were taken from there back in 1818 and now are what is commonly known as a folly - hint, folly's are some of my favourite things in this world! There's something awesome about fake Roman-temples in Wiltshire countryside and I love it. 

Anyway, we got some frozen-yoghurt, mini-Calippos, grapes and juice and went and sunned ourselves by the water. It's really relaxing there usually, but it was crazy busy when we got there, but  gradually people left and it was getting quieter the later it got. It's part of The Royal Landscape/Windsor Great Park, and the whole area is so lovely. There is a more planted garden, as well as the rest of the Great Park, so it's whatever takes your fancy! 

I threw in a quick snap of my clothes too, but they were completely inappropriate for the weather - I very much underestimated the heat!

instawhaaaaat - part two

movie decisions, getting my comic book fix / lazy days in bed / sunny evenings and mornings, but it rains all day! 

lovely bit of christian bale / watermelon breakfast / pretty sunsets (so instagrammy)

the summer show at the RA / rare bit of sunshine / seeing the amazing spiderman! so good

made some good pasta and sauce / and some good bread / mirror photos before a day out

rainy uni / bored at work, in my uniform / eating coconut and lime ice-cream

It really hasn't been that sunny here, I think the second it is sunny I run outside and bask in it like a cat or something, but these pictures make it look quite lovely. It's not. There's a lot of rain. A lot. Sigh, one day, I hope, it will stop.

instawhaaaaat - part one

nails so orange they don't photograph at all! / showing off my new sunnies / ray-ban love

new bag / finally painting out the 6 year old stripes on my wall! / birthday cocktails 

birthday books and chocolate / a strawberry from a plant in my garden / trying on pretty Mint Velvet dresses

sleeping on the floor with no furniture, waiting for a carpet! / the last hot day we had?! / there a few things better than jam and toast

new bed sheets! / cloudy lemonade / hanging plates on the wall, such an old lady!

I know everyone and their mother loves a good Instagram post - I think it's cause we're nosy bunch on these here blogs. I've been instagramming (is that a verb yet? You'd think it would be) an awful lot of late - the name is unciaandtigris, like my twitter! - and I like having a little snapshot of my June & July on hand. This is a bit of a crazy one, so I'll post half today and half in a couple of days!

the sun coming out, i know something good is going to happen

my garden / strawberries and cream pavlova 

my friends dog / puppy in the ford / the river

watching the dog try and eat a fish / my friend kiki 

the ford / cleaning the dog!

Ohhhh my lord, this weather has been beyond glorious! I'm sure there are hundred posts like this in the blogging world currently, so I'll keep mine short and sweet! I have managed to get a lovely touch of sunburn on my shoulders today, from walking my friends dog, Monty!, around the river and ford near where we live. He even managed to catch a fish! And then promptly rolled in its guts.. haha. I have no time for outfits or makeup at the moment, it's been too too hot, and I've been working like a mad thing.
I hope you're making the most of this sunshine whilst it lasts! (:

photo-dump

orange peel towers in my studio / impressive sunsets / bright moonrises

red lipstick in the studio / the empire strikes back! / yayoi kusamas exhibition at the tate modern

food shopping.. / cherry blossoms in my studio / pretend birthday cake

cherry blossoms in my garden / whipped cream coffee gifts from my housemate / drawings

trying on t-shirts at h&m / etching plates in process / bingo pens with cliff richard! 

the ice tea i drank in italy.. / easter cakes / rice krispie cakes!

my friend sending me adorable puppy photos / chips on brighton pier / homemade tandoori chicken

rain rain rain.. lightning / is this enough research?! / drowning in essays