Goodbye January! Even though I know Spring is still a long way away, I’m glad January is over. Also including some December stuff since I couldn’t fit a post in.
Fave 5 from the blog in December
- Baking Cookie Cute gingerbread men
- Etsy Made Local market in Glasgow
- Sister Advent gift swap
- Looking back at a year of wallpapers
- My cute Christmas decorations
Fave 5 from the blog in January
- Planning for Japan – 4 months to go!
- 2016 craft plans
- Studio tour
- 2016 plans and resolutions
- Favourite books, films, TV, games & music of 2015
New Stuff
Links I Loved
- Stumbled across a great Japan trip report blog covering pretty much the whole of Japan over a few trips. It goes into a lot of detail so definitely worth a read if you’re planning a trip soon.
- Tilly just got back from Japan and has some tips on fabric shopping.
- Wish I could visit the Domo-kun pop-up cafe! Also, Domo fans need to see this.
- Loved Susie of Boygirlparty reminiscing about her teenage bedroom at DesignSponge.
- Bad Astronomy’s top space and astronomy stories of 2015.
- I have so many yet to read, but I’m enjoying Serious Eats’ Comfort Diaries, a series of essays on their writers’ comfort eating.
- Smitten Kitchen makes The Browniest Cookies. Must make!
- Whether or not you care about George RR Martin’s writing speed, this article on everything that happens to get a book published is super interesting.
Added to my Wish List
TV pincushion | Hand painted bunny plate
Gold polka dot washi tape | Ghost sticky markers
Reading
Here is my Reading List for 2016 – quite a lot to get through!
Tokyo: Monocle Travel Guide
Pretty interesting guide though really only that useful if you’re going to Tokyo to look at architecture, drink fancy coffee and buy high-end clothes for men, plus getting taxis everywhere because ugh public transport is for peasants. There are some good tips for art and design and walks, and it’s saved by a section of short essays in the middle with odes to everything from Tokyo’s motorways to record shopping. [Buy on Amazon]
Step Aside, Pops & Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
I’ve been following Kate’s comics online for a few years and realised I should give something back and finally buy her books. I’m really glad I did as they are so hilarious. They’re mostly based on historical figures and events and really ramp up the absurdity. I also dearly love the sections where she guesses at the stories behind old book covers and postcards. Her drawing style is unbelievable as well – how does she get such expression from a few quick sketchy lines? If you like history, feminism, books or laughing you should get these immediately. [Buy on Amazon]
The Royal We by by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
Got this cheap as it was recommended all over The List App. It’s written by the Fug Girls and is basically Kate Middleton fan fiction but with an American protagonist. Being an anti-monarchy Scot, I am probably not the intended audience but it was well written for this sort of thing, and didn’t rely on ridiculous misunderstandings to drag the plot out. Enjoyable read, though I did find the characters a bit too madcap and cartoony by the end. [Buy on Amazon]
Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys by Viv Albertine
There are so many great female rock musician memoirs on my wish list, but this was on offer first. I found it a bit too raw and honest to deal with. The first part about being part of the punk scene in London and touring with The Slits was really cool to read about from a female perspective. After that, it’s like watching a friend make a series of terrible life decisions and not being able to do anything about it. It’s a tough read but I have a ton of respect for her now. [Buy on Amazon]
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
One of those, ‘here, have a free book’ offers from Amazon that I finally got around to reading. It’s about a boy who goes to fairyland to find a fallen star to bring back to his true love and has all manner of adventures. I though it was really strangely structured. The first few chapters make it seem like a massive multi-book epic and then it suddenly starts jumping the story forward randomly and condensing stuff to something much shorter. I would have liked to read the long version. I ended up watching the movie adaptation after and, while that had a bunch of different problems, it worked a lot better and I totally see how people compare it to The Princess Bride. Kind of wish I hadn’t read it now. [Buy on Amazon – Book / DVD]
Watching
Deutschland 83
I love a spy drama, especially when it involves the Cold War. This is a German production and fairly fluffy compared to something like The Americans but I’m enjoying it a lot. The 80s stuff is great – both the reactions of our young spy hero to capitalist excess and the East Germans spending three episodes trying to find a way to read these new-fangled floppy disks. Hoping it sticks the ending (unlike London Spy’s fiasco).
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
YESSSS! So good to have it back. ❤️
Travel Man
Richard Ayoade goes on various mini breaks with fellow comedians who try not to just spend the entire trip giggling at everything he says. Always involves the weirder tourist attractions, confused locals and some actually decent tips. The episode where he went to Vienna with Chris O’Dowd was possibly more entertaining than the IT Crowd reunion episode.
The Story of Scottish Art
Finally got to finish this and I feel like I learned more in four episodes than my six years of art history classes. It’s presented by painter Lachlan Goudie who wanders around our amazing Scottish landscapes enthusing about art from standing stones to present day, all while sketching away in his sketchbook. Should really have been titled The Story of Scottish Painting though; there wasn’t much of anything else.
Sherlock
Yes it was indulgent meta-nonsense but I don’t care! I will take any Sherlock in any form and enjoyed the hell out of this.
Also watched The Jinx in December, which was as flabbergasting as everyone said. I don’t want to spoil it at all, but if you get a chance to watch it, do! It’s so expertly structured that you end every episode with a whole new perspective on what is a seriously bizarre true crime story.
On The List App
Seriously, why are you not all on this app yet? It’s the greatest little community. Here’s all the lists I’ve written recently.
- THE FARTHEST I’VE TRAVELED
- MY UNINTENTIONAL AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION
- WHY IS THE ROYAL MAIL VAN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE? OMG IT’S MY SECRET SANTA PACKAGE!
- TOP 5 CAKES I’VE EATEN 🍰
- HATEFUL TASKS I HAVE PUT OFF FOR TOO LONG 😫
- EMAILS I HAVE RECEIVED FOR OTHER MARCELINES WHO DON’T KNOW THEIR OWN EMAIL ADDRESSES
- BEST ANIMAL/FOOD HYBRID CHARACTERS
- CHRISTMAS EVE POWER CUT! 🕯🔦
- SISTER ADVENT GIFTS
- OFFICE SKILLS
- SECRET SANTA GIFTS I HAVE RECEIVED, RANKED
- RIDICULOUS INJURIES I HAVE SUSTAINED
- ANNOYING THINGS ADVENTURE TIME FANS HAVE MESSAGED ME
- KYARY PAMYU PAMYU MUSIC VIDEOS, RANKED
My emoji use has increased by 7 million percent since I joined The List App, sorry.
How was your month?
