books & food

 1. Here's a few new books that I've either received as gifts or made my mum buy me (haha!). The Sherlock Holmes books I've read previously, but it was my first time with Little Women and Golden Keyes Parson's In the Shadow of the Sun King. And I'm currently reading Fussell's The Great War!

 2. Mmmm custard creams! Nowadays I always have my biscuit tin filled, and custard creams are bought frequently. So good:-)

 

3. I'm very much not a salad person, my rule is to stay away from most of the green food. But sometimes there's lil' exceptions, like this salad. Spinach, tomatoes, radishes, mozzarella, black pepper - goodness.

Also, feel free to let me know what you think of the blog's appearance so far! I still might change it a wee bit, but I think it's better? The size of the photos is larger and all that jazz. Whatever you want to say about it, I'd like to hear! :-)

midas is king and he holds me so tight and turns me to gold in the sunlight

 

 

 

Dress - H&M

Cardi&Belt - Primark

Earrings - New look

Ah, I really wish there was more of sunlight in my pictures instead of artificial. I know I've said this before but taking photos outside by yourself when you don't have a private garden or a tripod can be so awkward! During Easter break (which is soon!) I might go exploring in my neighbourhood to see if there's a quiet wee spot to take pictures. I'm so sick of boring inside photos of my room, and I bet you are too.

I wasn't really planning on leaving Leeds for summer, but I may have a change of plans. If I get my old summer job back, I'll be going back to mama's. I'm actually looking forward to it. I can go to all my favourite places to eat, I'll be reunited with my sewing machine and when I come back to Leeds I can take the tripod and other stuff with me. That sounds pretty good, now I just need to hear back from my boss!

I've got a day off, so my weekend already started yesterday evening, woo:-) Hope your weekend will be amazing, lovelies♥!

//EDIT Making some minor adjustments to the layout &c. so the blog might be looking strange at times. Bear with me!

you are the one i think of all the night

 

 

 

Cardi - Grandma's old

Top - H&M

Jeans - Vero Moda

Earrings - Seppälä

 

 

Hope you're all having a wonderful week! Mine's not too bad, but I feel like I could sleep for a week. Not that there's something special going on in my life, just generally having a draining feeling all the time. Might have to increase my coffee intake a little to keep me awake! (Although I don't like instant coffee and we don't have a coffee machine, boo.)

P.S. Somehow I've left my assignments to the last minute again, and have two essays to write. Ohh, the joys.

as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as this ebony window frame

 

 

I was sporting these black&red nails last week, together with my wee Topshop owl ring. The combination of white, red and black always reminds me of Snow White. I don't know if she actually was my favourite fairy tale princess, or if she came to be my favourite because people thought I resembled her. When we were children, we pretended to be Disney princesses with a few friends, always referring to each other with their names. I was the only one with dark hair (and at the time a sort of a bob), so I was Snow White. My friend and her sisters were Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Belle fron Beauty and the Beast. And my sister was Pocahontas. And that's how much my nails made me ramble. I'm now in a mood to watch Snow White, and almost inspired to cut a wee Snow White bob!

que sera sera

 

 

 

Top - H&M

Skirt - Primark

Necklace - Gift

Earrings - Seppälä

 

I've been enjoying living in pretty casual outfits. This stripey top especially has been seen on me many times lately. It's so comfy and soft. Casual outfits are probably a reflection of my mellow mood. I've never been a stressful person, and don't tend to take things that seriously. But now I've been feeling even more mellow than usually. And I love listening to a wee bit of Ringo Starr every once in a while, he's a lil' sweetheart. This song is one of my favourites, and I'm not even ashamed to admit that 'la de da' is a legitimate phrase I use in conversations.

i solemnly swear

 

Yes, I know it's already the end of February. And yes, I decided to talk about New Year's resolutions now. I didn't actually make any resolutions, because you start them with such enthusiasm, which eventually wears out and you realize nothing has changed from last year. So, what I did was to make some guidelines, or whatever you want to call them, for 2013. I had a similar idea on my 20th birthday when I wrote down 20 things and for the new year I fused that list with a new one I made up. This is what I came up with:

I Appreciate & enjoy your life as it is.
II Don't buy clothes &c. You're a poor student & can't afford it.
III Continue being friendlier, learn to be more positive & to open up to people.
IV Don't dread, worry or regret things you can't control.
V Love & show your love.
VI Study. You're paying for it, so benefit of it.
VII Carpe diem; don't dwell on the past.
VIII Don't wish for things when you know you don't need them or possibly can't get them. Nevertheless, don't stop dreaming.
IX Keep up Meat Free Monday.
X Read more. It makes you happy.
XI Remember: let your past make you better, not bitter.
XII Control your drinking. You're getting old & clearly can't handle a drink anymore.
XIII Don't be unnecessarily proud when it only harms you. Still don't lose your pride.
XIV Don't miss opportunities.

As you can see, I've made myself practical and concrete ones, considering my eating, drinking, financing and so forth, but also all the improve-yourself-mentally baloney. And, so far my "resolutions" are going pretty well!

knitting like an old lady!

 

 

 

Top - Primark

 Jeans - Vero Moda

Rings - H&M

Circle scarf - Self-made

Remember when I made this headband a wee while ago? From the leftover yarn I made a matching scarf. This is maybe the fourth circle scarf I've knitted, and it's the first one I really like. Usually they don't end up looking like I imagined and I give them away as gifts, haha. But I think this one's a keeper. I've really started getting into knitting again. I've never done anything bigger than socks and mittens and such, but am thinking of starting a bigger project. Maybe a jumper! Do any of you knit, or do you know nice looking patterns? (Sharing is caring!)

sing a song of sixpence

1. Janelle Monáe - Cold War. Amazing.

2. Estelle ft. Janelle Monáe - Do my thing. Tommy Hilfiger advert anyone? (I wish my life was like that; cruising on a wee boat, and what not..)

3. Walk off the Earth - I knew you were trouble. I'm not a Taylor Swift fan, but love this cover!

4. Regina Spektor - How. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Regina, and this is my favourite at the moment.

5. YELLE - Comme un Enfant. I also have periods when I listen to French music, and that's been happening these past few weeks:-)

 

6. Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land. They were playing in Leeds on Wednesday, and I so wish I had had the funds to go! 

It's funny, how a couple of years ago I didn't like any female artists. Look at me now! And also, how much more diverse my taste in music is starting to be, I mean it's evolving all the time. Which is a good thing. What have you been listening to lately? ♥

(P.S. Sometimes I really don't have a clue how I think of the titles for my posts, my mind wanders such weird paths. "There's songs in this post. There's six of them. I know what'll be the title: Sing a song of sixpence! So logical.")

comme un enfant

 

Yesterday was a nice wee day:-) I went to the city with my flatmate, Angel. Although I've lived in Leeds longer than her, we visited some places I hadn't been to before this. For example, I can't believe I had never been to the Leeds City Market! Also, there was a Ferris wheel (, which was a bit strange as it was standing there by itself) and everyone walking past it was really excited. Obviously, I was too because I've got a picture with a Ferris wheel.

On another note, I'm actually excited because I've decided it's spring. Today's been so warm and sunny that I didn't even bother with a jacket. In Finland I'm used to a winter with a lot of snow for ~6 months, and although I know the climate to be different over here, it still surprises me every time. Yes, it might still snow and be wintery. But I have decided it's spring and that makes me fairly happy.

all my love is unrequited

 

 

Rings - All gifts

+An ugly plaster!

 

Sweater - 2nd hand

Skirt - H&M

Woolly socks - Knitted by my friend

Slippers - Gift

Without realizing it I actually dressed up in pink on Valentine's, and even had a wee heart ring! But that's as Valentine-y as my day got. That'd be all I have to say today. Hope your Valentine's Day was all lovey-dovey, if that is what you wanted! ♥♥

take me back to wondaland

 

 (From here.)

I'm supposed to be writing three (3!) essays, which means that I'll try and stay away from the wonderful world of the internet. Somehow, it always happens that when I really need to do work, procrastination makes everything else seem more appealing. Cleaning my room, doing the dishes and arranging books according to size instead of alphabetically are such fun activities when you should be concentrating on the rise of Christendom in late Antiquity or the origins of the French Revolution..

At least, it's Pancake Day today (which is a far better day compared to Valentine's Day!) and I can have a wee munch whilst going through pages after pages of history. Pancakes make things better.

you're so vain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After getting my laptop and going to uni, I've had a webcam for the first time in my life. This may have resulted into me taking countless amounts of pictures of myself (haha). It's so handy to check out what your face or hair is looking like, and there's no need to get up and put the laptop away. Laziness and vanity in one... All webcam quality is nothing short of terrible, but I've had some fun making wee gifs and laughing at my face. It's good to be amused by so little!

procrastination queen

 

Cardi - H&M

Dress - New look

Bag - Dad's old

Necklace - Gift

Earrings - Urban Outfitters

 

 

 

(Drew this some time ago, & stole the idea off someone on the internet!)

 

I have returned back from the depths of my bed and illness. I make it sound quite serious but I'm one of those people who think they will die every time they are feeling a bit poorly (I don't actually believe I'm about to die, but you know what I mean!). I can also be areal hypochondriac, and occasionally spend time reading different symptoms online. Sad, I ken.

Anyway, my week has started well. In addition to feeling a lot better, several fortunate events have occurred. The other day, I was going to get some milk, and found £20 laying on the ground! (Usually, I would try to be nice and see if I can find out who's lost their money, but not this time. About £15 was stolen off me months ago, alongside with my new phone, and for me, this was the universe giving back what was mine. On someone else's expense, but can't help it! I'm still waiting for that phone to show up...) And today, one of my lectures was cancelled which made my uni day considerably shorter. Yay!

Hope your week has been wonderful so far♥!

so give me novacaine

 

This is how I've been feeling lately, and it's not too great. This cold and fever is partially self-inflicted, though, and I'm slowly getting better. I've spent my time curled up in bed watching movies and drinking plenty of honey water. I've already gone through all Wes Anderson films, and now it's time for some classic Hitchcocks! My best pals in the picture below will keep me company, and hopefully we'll spot the Hitchcock cameos (which are one of the great things about his movies!) Stay well, all you lovelies♥!

 

two outfits for one occasion

 

 

 

 

Top - Dad's old

Cardi - H&M

Trousers - Mama's old

Leather jacket - Auntie's old

Shoes - New look

Scarf - Grandma's old

Tote - WWF

 

These are actually really old, but as far as I'm concerned it isn't that important! I was going out but then realized it was raining. I changed my leather jacket to a raincoat, and then felt the need to change most of my other clothes as well. This happens to me too often! Also, I seem to be wearing items from almost all of my family members, haha.. I'm not sure, but the raincoat may have belonged to my sister or brother, which would complete my 2nd hand outfit.

lazy sea green bows

 

Dress - Only

Cardi - Primark

Slippers -Gift

 

 

Yesterday I finished my exams (hooray for that!) and knitted this headband that I've been wearing today. (It is actually very much of a sea green colour, even though it looks blueish in the pictures!) All in all, today's been the laziest of all lazy days. I even postponed going to get some food because I couldn't get myself out of the house, haha! So what's been keeping me busy? Criminal Minds. It's a bit concerning how addicted I am and how much watching an episode after episode interfered with my revision. In one of my exams I noticed a lad who, in my opinion, looked exactly like one of the serial killers and the invigilator looked like an ex-con too. I should maybe think of watching a little less of Criminal Minds, but it's too good! (And I started from the beginning and am only in season 4!)

Also, I recently made myself a goodreads account and challenged myself to read 72 books this year. I don't know how much I usually read, but six books a month does not sound that much! If you're on goodreads, I'd love to have you as a friend! Add me?