I know I say this every year, but how the heck can it be July already? Especially when the weather is only at about May. It’s been a busy month, and I can only hope the weather catches up soon so I can get back out on my bike again. The drawing above is what I wore to my granny’s 85th birthday party – I sent it to her as a thank you card!
What I did in June
Attended, and sold at, my very first Zine Fair, put a bunch of stuff in my Super Summer Sale, went back Up North for the aforementioned party (and ate a lot of cake), booked a trip to Rothesay for August, designed a lot of new fabrics for Spoonflower (I hope they arrive soon!), finished my new Tokyo Shopping Guide (so much work). And continued to watch scar tissue form at the rate of 0.0000001mm per day. How much longer can it possibly take to heal?
Things I bought for myself
A new section, as I need to curb my spending – and how better than by public shaming!
100 Tiny Moments comic book at the Zine Fair (see May’s post), 2 cute vests in the sale (candy stripe and polka dot!), a ticket for the Eska reunion show in July, a bunny ornament (wait and see!), a couple of zines.
Reading, Watching, Playing
Finally started finishing books instead of buying them.
Trawler by Redmond O’Hanlon
I picked this up in a charity shop, with the impression that it was a travelogue about a trip on a deep sea fishing trawler in the North Sea. Coming from a fishing village, I was particularly interested. Although the book begins like that, it soon develops into a fairly hilarious tale of sleep deprivation as the author struggles to keep up with his similarly afflicted crewmates in hauling, sorting, gutting and packing the neverending catches in a Force 10 gale. It’s more a tale of camaraderie and madness, but I also learned an awful lot about fish.
The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy
Young American girl moves to Paris, dyes her hair pink and gets into innumerable scrapes, often involving unsuitable men. It could have been written in any era but it was published in the 1950s, somehow managing to have a perfectly modern air mixed with a Scott Fitzgerald/ JD Salinger backdrop. I only wish I had read it when I was 16.
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer / No Way Down by Graham Bowley
Lent to me by my dad and both about mountaineering disasters on Everest and K2 respectively. They were both equal parts gripping and horrifying. I now have a slight wish to climb a mountain and also a new terror of ever being stuck on even a small hill after dark in the summer. I’m certainly not going anywhere named the Death Zone. It all seems a bit pointless really – it’s one thing to die trying to explore somewhere new or to see something amazing but most people seem to climb mountains so they can say they did it, and half of them lack the ability/experience to do it without a constant help. I looked it up and over 200 people have died attempting to climb Everest since it was first summited in 1953, compared to less than 30 people who have died in the entire history of space exploration. Guess what the difference is? Oh yeah, amateurs with money aren’t allowed into space.
Game of Thrones
Still kind of overwhelmed about how awesome this was. As a book reader, there were a few scenes that lacked something from already knowing what was coming, but the big moments were amazing. The finale was a bit emotional because I am a sap, and also for setting characters on paths I cannot wait to see next season. If you didn’t watch it you really really should. I would be incredibly sad about having to wait a whole year until next season but it’s just a couple of weeks until book 5 comes out so I think I’ll cope for a while!
A Glasgow Companion by Herb Lester
Lovely little fold out guide to Glasgow. Covering a much wider range of stuff than my own guide, though in less rambling detail…) and complete with an excellent map. It’s also got a lot of distinctive contributors so it’s really like asking a group of awesome friends for tips. Would like actual full length guidebook now. Get yours from their online shop, along with guides to London and more.
iPhone app of the month
Cute Fat Fox: Photobooth (£1.79)
Purikura on your iPhone! I reviewed this for SCK and it is great fun. My iPhone is hella slow these days though – really counting the days til I can upgrade in August.
New Product Round-up
Just the new Tokyo Shopping Guide. I have a few things coming up though.
Online sales
Items sold on Shopify: 12
Items sold on Etsy: 16
Items sold on Folksy: 9
Items sold on DaWanda: 9
Still quiet here. But pushpin had an amazing first month, and took over all my digital sales too.
