Being productive on the move: My top 3 apps

Anyone out there like me who has a long commute and/ or travels a lot will understand the pain of standing or sitting there with nothing to do!

When I started my new job a couple of months ago, I was faced with a commute of up to 2 hours, twice a day. I also travel a lot most weekends.

Now, I love social media as much as the next person, but there's only so much inane scrolling through Facebook I can take without my brain feeling like it is starting to rot a little! Right from the get-go, I wanted to use the hours spent travelling productively. A lot of the time, my journey is off-line as well, which makes internet browsing near impossible.

I have a kindle and my goodness, that has been a real god send during my commute. I also own a tablet, which is great for writing blog posts and watching videos on. However, some mornings or evenings I feel too tired to write anything or even read! I'm not a napper on public transport (the control freak within me super freaks out at the idea of being unconscious in a public place!) and I really want to make the most of my travel time, so it doesn't feel like I've wasted large chunks of my day.

In order for me to keep productive with little effort whilst on the move, I have started using these 3 apps, which so far are proving very valuable on my journeying!

Pocket

Pocket works as a little online... Well, pocket! I follow a lot of fantastic resources on social media and often come across articles that I want to read but don't have time to at that moment. Or, they're so good, I want to keep hold of them to re-visit. Pocket makes it easy to save links that you can then read offline. Perfect! It also has a tonne of suggestions for articles based on topics you like, which is great for even further reading and inspiration!

Stitcher

I am new to the world of podcasts. I don't know why, I just never really got into audio books or listening to people talk. I guess it's because I find it distracting whilst I am working on something else. However - when there's nothing to work on, e.g. you're stuck on a tube for 45 minutes and too tired to focus - I love them! I am a full blown podcast addict! I just started listening to Serial (highly recommend) and Stitcher has a super awesome collection of podcasts on that you can save to listen later. You can set it up so when you have WiFi, it will download the podcast to your phone/ tablet to then access offline.

Ted Talks

I love a good Ted Talk! I really enjoy how a) inspiring and b) short they are! In less than 20 minutes you can learn so much and I am yet to watch a Ted Talk where I've not thought long and hard about the message conveyed. The Ted Talks app is great - it's super easy to use and (can you sense a theme here?) you can download videos to watch offline! Woohoo!

So far, I've built myself a little bento box of goodies for my commute and travels to pick 'n' mix from as I please and how my mood takes me. I can listen, watch or read to my heart's content without relying on the internet. These apps are also helping me be more productive. It might seem unproductive just sitting back and listening to a podcast or watching a talk, but as far as I'm considered, I'm learning stuff and I'm taking time out from a pretty hectic day to re-charge. If I'm feeling good, I can then do good, productive things more easily!

Give these apps a go and if you've got any suggestions for other commuter-friendly offline-accessible apps; please do comment below!

Have a great day!

Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated nor associated with any of the apps mentioned in this post. I wrote this just to share what is pleasing me at the moment and help inspire others on the move!

My art supplies

If there is one thing I could forever add to, it's my art supply collection. I have a tonne of art supplies and am constantly adding to the list! The main "type" of art I create is mixed media art, so the materials available are pretty much an endless stream of excitement!

I thought I would share with you my go-to supplies; things I use daily and would also recommend for anyone interested in mixed media but also on a budget. Where I can, I've added links to where I bought them, but it's worth shopping around to see if you can get them cheaper (I tend to do this, but on occasions may have missed saving a few £££s to get a fast order through/ bulk order from one shop etc.)

Paper:

I tend not to work on canvas, but paper. I like using paper more as it's easy to store, I can scan it in and it's less pricey than having an unending stock of canvas! I do work on canvas sometimes, but my go-to is paper. I use 2 types; my art journal and a spiral note pad that I take all the pages out of.

Daler Rowney Mixed Media paper (A4) 

This is my go-to paper. It's thick and holds out to a lot of water damage and when you trim the border down (it's in a spiral note pad) it's a little under A4, which makes it easier for framing and storing. t has a thick grain, which I like, as it adds more texture and doesn't warp easily. Sometimes it curls, but a bit of water on the back or taped down' it's fine. It's also very reasonably priced!

Moleskine art journal

This is my favourite sketchbook. It's small, and an interesting shape so it makes me re-think composition a lot. Despite not being hugely thick; the paper stands its own ground well and I'm yet to tear through from too much watercolour. I'm on my second of these and they last for ages. It's bound really well and I love using this as my art journal.

Free magazines from the Tube! I snap up those free magazines people hand out to you on the underground and save them up for collage use and paint over collage.

Vogue - maybe twice a year I will splash out on buying Vogue. It's expensive and I don't like the fashion world in particular; but there are some great pictures in there to use in collage.

The Great Gatsby book (!) - I tear out pages from my old copy of the Great Gatsby. The paper's turned brown over the years and adds a great layer of text for backgrounds.

Patterned scrapbook papers (various sources)

Washi tape (mostly bought of eBay in bulk)

Paint:

Craft paint (decoart and docraft) - I have a large collection of this paint as it's super cheap but still works well. They come in small bottles, which is perfect for testing out new colours and storage.

Daler Rowney graduate - I have the portrait pink colour and it's always, always used in my portraits as a base. It's a great Caucasian mid tone base.

Liquitex basic - I have some unbleached white and although the paint is a little plasticy; it's good mixed with other paints or white gesso for highlights.

Windsor & Newton Galeria - I'm slowly building up a paint collection in these colours, although they are kind of pricey (I get them from a discount store for about £3.99 a tube) the pigments are stunning and it's a really beautiful, glossy paint. I have 4 colours at the moment; teal, magenta, opera pink and ochre.

Gesso:

White gesso - Daler Rowney
Black gesso - Daler Rowney
Clear gesso - Liquitex

All these gessos are reasonably priced and not at all plasticy. I love the grain the clear gesso provides and these 3 mediums are always on my desk and I love them so much! Gesso to rule the world!!

Pens:

Posca pens - I got a set in bulk as they are expensive, but are prefect for small detail work. Don't use over wet paint as you'll destroy the nib (sorry, old black posca pen...RIP)

Letraset Promarker (manga fantasy set) - these are "posh felt tips" and really great for drawing and also can work well in mixed media pieces.

Micron Sakura pens - my favourite, favourite black pens. I'm constantly using them up but they are just perfect. They don't fade and look beautiful outlining watercolour pieces.

Pencils:

2B and 4B Faber Castell - I like to work with a soft pencil as it's great for smudging. Currently my 4B is the size of my little finger, and it's the 3rd this year. It's my go-to, must-have, cannot-live-without pencil.

2B Graphite Aquarelle by Faber Castell - really nice for adding dark tones and smudgy/smokey effects.

Glues and mediums:

Good old pritt stick!
Deco Art Media matte medium
Deco mache gloss decoupage glue
Winsor & Newton professional fixative
Pebeo Studio Acrylics modelling paste

Paintbrushes:

Daler Rowney gold taklon short handled synthetic brushes

I'm super mean to my paintbrushes and put them through hell, so I don't buy expensive ones. These ones have a great range of sizes and considering the beating they get form me, they last pretty well!

Da Vinci paintbrush (for canvas work and working BIG!) - I bought this paintbrush at an art retreat, although it is available on-line too I think. It's beautiful and big and has a great "spring" to the bristles.

And there you have it! I have some other bits and bobs too, but the above is my standard set of supplies.

What's your favourite art supply?

Have a great week!

Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

How to create a layered art journal spread

I thought today I would share some techniques I used when art journalling. I consider my art journal to be many things. It is my diary, my brain dump, a place to try new art techniques and a place to play without pressure. I never go into a journal entry with preconceptions and never focus on the outcome; more the journey.

My approach to journalling varies a fair amount, although this is one of my favourite ways of processing my emotions - it creates a really beautifully layered spread. This post shows just 1 of the ways I fill up my journal with all my thoughts and musings...

Step 1: Do a brain dump.

Scribble down everything that's going on inside your head. Don't worry about the words, just get them out. I tend to have very large, loopy writing and when writing fast I don't worry myself with spelling or even if the words go over each other. This first layer is just about getting your thoughts down on paper. (I've obscured the majority of the text here as y'know, personal stuffz.)

Step 2: Wash over with watercolours.

I use a second layer of watercolours and blend in a mix of the same warmth. E.g. reds, yellows and oranges or blues and greens. I like to stick to the same colour groups as this way they rarely mix to make "mud"; they blend together nicely. I also keep the layer quite light and wet - I don't want to 100% obscure my brain dump, so the words still poke through here and there.

Step 3: Blot on another layer using similar colours.

Using acrylic paint (a mix of brands/ quality/ prices!) I then blot on the 3rd layer. I thin the paint out so it's very watery as acrylic can completely mask stuff. I also splatter paint using the end of the paintbrush and my fingers.

Steps 4 & 5 - Add an image and bring in another colour.

I really liked this image by Alfons Mucha, from a book I recently bought and so I photocopied the image and fixed it to the page using matte medium as an adhesive. I then put a layer of clear gesso over the top, which means I could easily add other medium on top of the image. As the image was black and white, I also added some streaks of black using my watercolour graphite pencil. The result is fairly gloomy looking! But I liked the contrast between the vibrant reds and the smears of grey/ black.

Step 6- Doodle!

 Adding doodles over the page for another layer is very therapeutic!   

Step 7:  Paint over collage.

Paint over collage is one of my favourite mixed media techniques. It's a great way to learn about shading and the structure of the face, by painting over a collaged image. You can also really put your own style on top of the original image. This lady was calling out for wild, firey hair. I painted a watered down layer of white gesso over the face, and re-drew the facial features using a black posca pen; the hair was created using watercolour crayons.

Step 8 - Add a quote and "tinker".

I like to add quotes to my journal pages. My go-to quote guy is Rumi. His quotes are mindful, beautiful and seeped with symbolism. Sometimes I seek out a quote directly related to what my brain dump uncovered, other times it's related to the imagery that comes out but sometimes it is just something I like! I first added the quote in the background using watercolour (the red) and then re-wrote it more prominently in black. I always tinker with my pages - add in little details here and there. I coloured in some of the flowers and just generally fiddled with the page.

Some close up detail shots:

After all those layers, you can still see the original text, which I really like. When do I know I am finished with a page? When it feels right. This spread took a couple of days, in dribs and drabs when I had free time. Before any art session, I try to start off spending some time with my journal. It's like a warm up, or just to help get some inspiration flowing.

Supplied used:

• Yellow posca pen
• Caran D’ache Necolour II watercolour crayons (reds, yellows and oranges)
• Acrylic paint – red, yellow and gold
• Photocopy of a photograph by Alfons Mucha
• Matte Medium
• Clear gesso
• Black posca pen
• Black watercolour graphite pencil
• White gesso

I hope you've enjoyed this little how-to! I highly recommend art journalling to anyone - whether you feel you have artistic qualities or not. It's a fantastic and creative way of working through your feelings and helping you get in touch with yourself. I will also let you in on a little secret... Everyone has inside them a budding artist desperate to burst out and come to life on the page. You can do it!

~ Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Instagram monthly round up: July 2015

Morning Chaps!

Happy Monday and Happy New Month!

Here's my monthly round up from my Instagram for July:

Instead of painstakingly transferring all my Instagram pictures from my phone to my computer, then re-sizing them into a grid; I discovered Monthly Collage that does all that for you! Fantastic! Time saving and the same effect ;-)

July has been another busy month for me and as you can see there are lots of works in progress! I had a "Christmas in July" Sunday last weekend and planned out what I will hopefully be showcasing in my Etsy shop for Christmas. So watch this space for updates!

I've also been learning to draw manga-style, which has been pretty fun! I got an awesome book about fantasy manga and it's really detailed, which is helpful plus it's sparked off my imagination for lots of paintings!

August is going to be a bit quieter for me, which is very much needed! I'm looking forward to having lots of time to paint (I have a 4 day weekend at the end of the month that I want to dedicate to pure art goodness!) so hopefully in next month's round up you will see lots more finished pieces!

Instagram is my main social media channel, so to keep up to date with what's going on in Little Lra's world, come say hi and give me a follow at www.instagram.com/lovelittlelyra : -)

Have a magical week,

Emily xx (aka Little Lyra)

Magical Monday: My favourite shares from Illustration Friday

Hi Chaps,

Happy Monday!

It's been raining and grey for the past couple of days here. I'm not a huge hater of rain. In fact, listening to heavy rain when I'm in bed or snuggled up in a thick jumper is one of the most relaxing things in life for me.

I stumbled across this song yesterday and can't stop playing it. It's so serene and perfect for playing softly during the rain!

Today's Magical Monday shares are 3 beautiful illustrations I found ages ago and had saved for the right moment to share! Illustration Friday is one of my favourite websites. There's so much inspiration on there and some really stunning artists with a whole plethora of different styles to become immersed in.

Paul Pope

I love the dark edge Paul's comic illustrations have. My favourite one is this black and white drawing - really striking and I love all the contrast on it.

Enrique Alcatena

Another striking black and white comic illustration! With Enrique's art I really like the intricacy and they remind me a little of Aubrey Beardsley's panels. This illustration is so bold and mysterious:

Kate Wilson

I love, love, love (!) these quirky little drawings. Chubby birds and sleek designs, all of her illustrations are beautiful - but Howard is definitely my fave:

And those are my 3 Magical Monday shares! I hope you like them as much as I do, and I'd really recommend some time browsing Illustration Friday - there's so much to see!

Have a wonderful week, 

Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Magical Monday: Unicorn Party!

Hi Chaps,

Hope you've had a lovely week and are looking forward to the week ahead!

I had a very magical weekend in the form of a unicorn party for my birthday! Even though my birthday was a month ago, I was too jet lagged from my business trip to NYC so I decided to postpone it till I had a bit more time to prepare and get a costume together.

Since I was a little girl, I've been a little bit obsessed with unicorns...! I remember I used to trawl through my Granny's copy of the Radio Times *every* week to see if the film Legend would be on TV... And the flipping excitement when it was! I used to have a pretty large collection of unicorn soft toys and I've been drawing unicorns for a long as I can remember. This mythical beauty is what got me excited about making art... Losing yourself in a moment of magic ; -)

So really, there was no better way to spend my birthday than having a few (ahem) glasses of unicorn juice (!) and donning a magical costume along with my buddies.

I actually managed to rock 2 costumes, as my friend had made an awesome unicorn horn and ears, so I kept stealing them haha!

Here was my first unicorn costume (I love this wig):

And this was my 2nd unicorn look! (Horn and ears made by my friend, Monika):

I had an absolute blast, and really enjoyed pretending to be a kid again with some good old fashioned party games... Pin the horn on the unicorn and a unicorn pinata!

We also tucked into a special unicorn cake I made; vanilla with white chocolate with strawberry jam... Mmmm! And I'm pretty pleased with my (totally amateur!) cake decorating:

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek of my unicorn party and get inspired to be a kid again; be a bit silly and have a lot of fun!

Happy Magical Monday : -)

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

How to art journal when you have very little time

I love art journalling. It's bloody brilliant and I think everyone should give it a go. Spending some quality time purging your busy brain through writing, painting, collaging; whatever medium you like. I always get a wonderfully wholesome and nourished feeling after a long, cathartic art journalling session.

But.

(There's always a but!)

I don't have a lot of time! And for me, art journalling takes a lot of time!

Recently I found myself more and more strapped for time (being out the house 12-13 hours a day can do that to you!) I want to spend quality time with my art journal, as well as painting on paper/ canvas as well as writing my blog as well as marketing my business as well as seeing friends as well as keeping the house from looking like a post apocalyptic ruin... You get the picture!

With art journalling - and even more so since I went back to working full time - I have to make time and sacrifice something else to do so. Don't get me wrong, for me, art journalling and all those other things stealing away my precious time ranks pretty damn highly on my list of priorities. And although it might seem like it, this isn't actually meant to be a long rant about how I never have spare time!

I actually want to share with you how I am overcoming the "I never have time to do art journalling" feeling. And how I'm also applying it pretty much everywhere else in my life.

Just like my life and business goals; I don't worry anymore about getting everything done in one go. I break it down into bite-sized pieces.

I used to be terrible with starting a piece of art and if I didn't finish it in that session... Buh bye! Deserted and abandoned on a pile of other "took too long"s. Nowadays, I just don't have that luxury!

If I abandoned every artwork - canvas or journal - I'd never actually get any artwork done at all! So I had to work to change my attitude towards my work. Now, before I start a painting I go into the painting already accepting that it will not be finished in this session.

It seems like even just having that mentality of "this is a work in progress and that's okay" kind if wins half the battle. I also leave my painting/ journal on my desk with the supplies I was using; not tidied away. I'm lucky enough to have my own space for creating so leaving things a little messy isn't really an issue. Lastly, I remind myself through looking at photos, having recently finished art around me and looking back through my journal. I've realised through looking at these past entries that when you spend time on things, be it a long session or several over the course of a fortnight; your art has so much depth to it.

Who cares that an art journal entry based one evening on letting go of fear the next evening morphs into embracing change? As a person, you or your feelings do not just stop each night and reset. You're an ever growing, ever changing and complicated human. Every day you finish just adds more layers to who you are.

I really enjoy the lack of pressure this realisation gave me and the new depth it is bringing to my art. I now feel quite comfortable breaking art sessions down into smaller time frames.

Blogging is the same. This post was actually created in 3 sessions: last night on the train home from work, this morning on the train to work and editing in my lunch break. I also read my book in 20 minute bursts twice a day when I am on the tube.

Even though it is in shorter sessions, I actually am finding myself more productive! I'm keeping up to date on the blog, I've read 5 books this month and I've used my art journal consistently.

Give it a go! Take something your used to spending hours on and break it up or use your commute to work for something other than staring at your social media!

You never know; you might just find you have more time.

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

#meettheartist

So any of you instagram lovers will know that recently there was a tag going around, #meettheartist, where artists draw themselves in their own style and list their likes/ dislikes and some other details etc. about themselves. I love stuff like this as you get a real snapshot into someone's life, so thought I would do one too, and share it on here.

If any of you guys have your own #meettheartist picture, please share in the comments below!

p.s. I didn't paint my glasses because... Not sure I can! Haha! Also, I did this before I turned 26... So, I'm now 26 Y/O!

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Developing my artistic style and taking risks

Hi Everyone!

I thought I would catch you up with an arty post today and chat with you about how my artistic style is developing and what new risks I've been taking with it.

Although I've been practising art all of my life, it is only within the past year and a bit that I have been consciously exploring and developing my signature style. And it is only within the past couple of months I have actually felt brave enough to talk about it!

When asked to describe my art, I am quite comfortable now with saying "I paint mixed media fantasy art, y'know, fairies and angels and mermaids." But I never really describe my style, just the subject matter. I'm not sure why, as I feel fairly comfortable with my style and if specifically asked I would say "large eyes, angular features and lots of colour with loose flowing hair".

Maybe it is something I will grow into describing. I feel it is still part of my self preservation from rejection strategy. Sometimes I feel I have to justify why my portraits aren't hyper realistic - "I like painting eyes so I make my eyes the focus by enlarging them". Or "I wish I had long flowing blue hair so that's why she does."

What I have noticed more recently is that I am a lot more comfortable and confident with describing my art. I actively bring it up in conversations and I enjoy talking about it and showing it to people.

I think part of that has come from practice, from embracing feeling self concious and letting that feeling sit wih me and then pass through; acknowledged but not pandered to. I also think I've been more able to talk about my art and what I paint from just taking that risk of rejection and riding with it!

 Forcing myself into the uncomfortable depths of conversation where you bare a little bit of your soul and show a stranger your latest painting. And so far I actually haven't been rejected or laughed at or pitied (oh, you think you are an artist?) I've only ever had enjoyable and thought provoking conversations!

I know of course there are some people out there who won't feel comfortable enough within themselves or have perhaps suffered emotional rejection in the past that will cause them to judge or scorn but I hope that as I work on my own courage and confidence; if that happens I will choose the best path of reaction.

It's a deeply scary thing for me, putting my art out there. Especially my recent (past 6 months) collective as it has gone up a level of meaning and concept and style. But for every fear I have, deep down I know I have triple, quadruple that of loving people gently supporting me and cheering me on from the wings.

So I shall keep at it! Keep sharing, keep developing and keep taking risks.

I super recommend it - the yield is far greater than living in fear of rejection and the path, though long and scary, is a wonderful one to walk down.

Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Magical Monday: NYC Special!

You made it to Monday! The start of a brand spanking new week where the possibilities are endless. The week is fresh faced and you can go on to do wonderful things!

As you know, last month I went to NYC on a business trip. It was flipping fantabulous! The whole week I had a huge grin plastered all over my face and it's a trip that will always hold a dear place in my heart.

So, load this up, crank up your headphones and enjoy this Monday's NYC Special! ; -)

Although I was there for work, I flew out at the weekend so I had a bit of time to explore the city and visit a couple of art galleries. I thought I would share with you some of my highlights.

The first gallery I went to was the iconic Guggenheim. What a space! I remember taking a big gasp when I looked up and saw it. I spent a good 2 hours slowly wandering up the spiral gallery and immersing myself in all the super cool modern art it had on show. One particular highlight was seeing props and photos from Matthew Barney's The Cremester Cycle, of which I was pretty obsessed with when I was at university. It brought back great memories and I had a great little chat with the man "guarding" the art about it.

These sculptures were my favourite pieces, by Pawel Althamer:

They were just fantastic! So eerie and post-apocalyptic, there was a really haunting quality to these other worldly beings. I liked that there was a long, detailed blurb about them too. Normally I read every blurb when in galleries but as I was keen to get to another gallery I photographed the longer ones for a later date.

After the Guggenheim I made my way along museum avenue (how cool?!) Towards the American Natural History museum. I love natural history and had heard great things things about this one... I managed to get myself lost en route but a policeman gave me directions and actually, I was right by the Met and I should go there! As it was insanely hot out I took his advice and visited the Metropolitan Museum of art instead... And wow, was I pleased I did!

The Met was so big and grand and beautiful, I spent the rest of the day there and even then didn't manage to see everything as my feet literally couldn't take another step more!

Here's a little preview of my favourite paintings/ exhibits from the Met - it was so huge and so inspiring I want to save up the memories and do a little series on all the wonderful things I saw there... So watch this space!

Hope you've enjoyed this NYC Magical Monday Special - have a great day!

Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Instagram Monthly Round-Up: June 2015

Hi chaps and Happy Friday!

Wow, another month has passed! And we are now more than half way through the year... Where does that time go?!

Today's bloggy offering is my monthly round up of Instagram. Less art than last month on account of going back to work full-time but the portraits featured took many hours to finish. I definately feel this month I have broken through something and turned a corner. Very excited for things to come!

 You'll also notice a colour theme to this montage... I am a bit obsessed with white hair and gold at the moment! I blame watching too much Game of Thrones ;-) Daenerys is my fave!

If you're on Instagram give me a wave and a follow! www.instagram.com/lovelittlelyra

Have a great day!

Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Be gentle with yourself…

Hi Chaps!

So, first of all apologies for going off the radar for a while; it's safe to say June has been my busiest month this year! I have started a new job, which involves travelling a lot (and learning a heck of a lot!), spent a week in New York, had my birthday and journeyed to Cornwall for a wedding... And it's still not even July!

Okay, so this blog post is a bit of a morning “brain dump”! I was fully intending to do a delayed Magical Monday update, and as I started writing, I realised there was something else I felt compelled to talk/ write/ brain splurge about. So I rolled with it…

I've been keeping up with my art fairly consistently, steadily building up a new body of work for something exciting happening in July (more on that another time!) But alongside all the upheaval, changes and travelling something had to give, and that something was blogging.

Anyway, I'm back! I've acquired a tablet, which I'm hoping will enable me to be able to blog on the move more as my commute to work is pretty long so all time is even more precious. In fact, I'm writing this post on my tablet right now, on the train to London!

I think the key to making anything successful or lasting is to persevere and not get down if things go a bit wonky or pear shaped. That's how I approach my art and that's how I'll also be approaching blogging. Sure, I've slipped by the way side this month. But it's been a damn busy month!

As someone who thrives on goal setting (and achieving!) I have big fat yearly goals that I work towards by breaking them down into bite size monthly goals. It was a little painful at first to review how June's goals had fared as I definitely set the bar too high considering how packed my diary was.

However, past me had also set a goal of "be gentle with yourself" as I think past me knew future me would be feeling a bit glum at not getting everything finished. Isn't that a nice goal to have? Be gentle with yourself. Thank you, past me! It's good to know how well I know myself! As soon as I read it, it made me smile. And even though I didn't have as many “ticks” or "completed" or "achieved" in my diary as I desired, that is just fine!

I really do feel passionately, that in anything you do – learning a new skill, running your own business or just doing something for fun; it’s so important not to constantly beat yourself up on not progressing fast enough. After all, as cheesy as it may sound, the smallest of acorns can grow into the largest of oak trees! One step at a time, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant is still a step. And I’m confident that one day, I will get to where I need to be… And I’m going to damn well enjoy the journey of getting there!

I hope that whatever journey you are currently walking down, that you remember this and it helps you when you need it:

Keep on doing what you love, persevere and don't let the bumps dictate the ride!

Happy Tuesday chaps!

Magical Monday

Hi Friends and welcome to another Magical Monday! I hope these share posts are bringing you a little bit of joy at the start of the week : -)

This Monday heralds my second week at my new job - I was at my last job for four years, so I've not been "new" for quite a while! It's been a whirlwind of battling on tubes, early mornings and lots of learning. For a long time now, I've not experienced "Monday Dread" (or "Sunday Evening Dread") and I hope that if any of you feel glum the night before or the morning of the working week, you can remember that a day is just a day. And how wonderful is that? The possibilities are endless...

Monday's Music Share 

I LOVE Florence and the machine. I remember the year before she got big, I saw her on the BBC alternative Stage at Reading Festival. I had followed her on myspace (remember that?!) for a while and was really digging her sound and vibe. None of my friends were that keen, but I was super excited so I just went and watched her on my own. It was fantastic, there weren't that many people there and I had a front row view and just danced and revelled in what I knew would become very special music to me. The following year, she performed at the Radio One stage and it was rammed to the rafters ; -)

I'm loving Florence's latest album, How Big, How Blue, how Beautiful. After several listens, I think Third Eye is my favourite song so far on the album... Load it up, listen in and enjoy your Monday!

Mummy Moose and her babies having a right old jolly time.

I came across this adorable video on Bored Panda - it's of a mother moose and her two calves being cooled down by someone's sprinklers in their garden. I never thought moose (mooses?!) could be cute but oh my gosh - you cannot watch this without getting the serious feels! This really made me smile, their frolicking and joy is definitely infectious.

Watch the moose water dance here!

Dragons!

South African artist Lynton Levengood has created a series of quirky and cute illustrations of dragons in the modern world. With everything from dragons befriending alley cats and sneaking up behind garden gnomes, these beautifully detailed pictures are very much smile-inducing. My favourite one (although it was a tough call1) are these chaps chowing down on some eggs:

Check out the rest of the dragons here.

Baby bunnies - what's not to love?

My last MM share is of a photographer's project of keeping tabs as his baby bunnies grow up. It has everything you could need with regards to small cute fluffy bunnies - tea cups, yawning, fluff. 5 years ago, I accidentally bred rabbits with my housemate (we thought my rabbit was a girl so she bought a girl... Turns out mine was a boy!) and had the pleasure of watching 8 baby bunnies grow up, so this post made me feel very nostalgic!

See more of these gorgeous cute baby bunnies here!

And here is my bunny when he was a littleun at 2 weeks old:

This is him now!

Thanks for reading, chaps! Have a wonderful week - Next Monday, I will be in New York for work! Exciting! 

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

What I wore this week...

So this week was my first week at my new job, which I am absolutely loving! In anticipation of all the learning and early mornings I would be facing I decided to save myself some small decisions and plan out what I would wear each day in advance - something I've never done before!

Anyway, I have been wanting to do another video and was feeling a little stuck for inspiration and short on time, so I went for an "outfit of the day" video with a twist!

Hope you enjoy!

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Happy Friday chaps, and Happy National Doughnut Day!

I thought I would spread a bit of sweet treat cheer today seeing as it is National Doughnut Day! Here are some shares of some super awesome doughnut art, jewelry and links to other dough-tastic bits and bobs I found on the wonderful interweb! All images headers link out to their original sources.

I need this print as either a T-Shirt or wall art - so, so cute!

These doughnut necklaces on Etsy are perfect for quirky jewelry lovers. 

I love this style and the bird is fantastic.

I am forever on the hunt for sweet and confetti inspired nail varnish and love this design.

A rainbow holding doughnut riding a unicorn through the stars. Need I say anything else?

I'm definitely going to seek out some of these places on my travels.

Hope you guys have had an awesome week, make sure you top off today by chowing down on a delicious doughnut!

p.s. the story behind National Doughnut Day can be found here.

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

An artist will always find somewhere to create...

My art studio-cross-office is probably not something you’ll want to re-pin on your dream home pinterest board or find on a trendy blog of “beautiful spaces to make your heart sing” however, I love it whole-heartedly.

I'm lucky enough to finally have a dedicated space for my creating and working, having muddled through shared houses and tiny flats for the past couple of years. Shared with my boyfriend, half of our spare room is his office-cross-computer space, the other half (okay… I have spread to maybe 2/3 the space!) is my creation station. 

A humble second hand table, a chair nicked from our dining room, several flowery storage suitcases, a canvas shelf, pin board of inspiration and purple lamp is my sanctuary.  

Having previously worked on my lap, the floor or on a horrible DVD cabinet (the only piece of furniture aside from my sofa bed I could afford at the time) it has been an absolute joy being able to have this permanent space I can create in. It’s probably the place I spend most time in and has really helped me focus on my creative projects and get inspired for new things quicker. Going from no-space to a small space has defiantly helped me appreciate how important it is to have a dedicated go-to creative area in my home.  

If you are currently working from home or don’t have much space, don’t feel bad or embarrassed. Last summer, I met another artist in an open studio visit. When she asked if I had a studio and I told her how I mostly worked from my lap, she said to me, “it doesn't matter if you have no space. An artist always finds somewhere to create.” Her words have stuck with me, as it is true. A large, separate studio is a wonderful thing to have. One day I look forward to having something like that, but for now I am very much happy in half of our spare room and know that no matter what happens, I will always find somewhere to create. 

My art studio when I first moved in 6 months ago...

My new double pin board of inspiration <3

Do you have any studio pics you'd like to share? Comment or link me below : -)

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx

Magical Monday

So for me, today has been a very Magical Monday indeed... I started my new job! After a month off work, I have thoroughly enjoyed having some "me" time and relished the opportunity to really get stuck into painting, playing with my bunnies, vlogging and blogging. But... As an extrovert and people lover, I definitely have missed being at work!

Today's musical share is also a post, as this version of "Take Me to Church" by Hozier is accompanied by a very special ballet piece by Sergei Polunin, directed by David LaChapelle. I love dance, and ballet I find can be so expressive and just beautiful - especially when performed by a man - and this dance is just breathtaking. It actually made me cry when I first saw it! So, in my humble opinion I suggest you pop to YouTube and watch this before reading on... One day, I will paint this man in one of his beautiful expressive leaps!

The Caring Hand

This is a sculpture from Switzerland I stumbled upon via Pinterest... I just love the simultaneous intensity and gentleness it evokes, mammoth stone fingers reaching through the earth to cradle a tree. It reminded me of an old stone creature or giant from eras past! Any sort of sculpture that incorporates the Earth or nature I am a big fan of, and this is definitely one of my favourites I have come across.

[The source link here.]

Stunning Moleskine Artwork

From one of the many art accounts I follow on instagram, Beautiful Bizarre is definately one I wuld highly recomend. They always share stunning new artwork and talented artists and exhbitions. One that really caught my eye is from the Moleskine Project IV at the Hashimoto Contemporary.

A celebration of the sketchbook, over 70 artists feautre in this exhbition (oh, how I wish I could go!) and all of the art featured looks bloody stunning! I use a moleskine for my own art journal, and I have to say, I am in love with it! There's something very old-worldy about a leather bound journal and the paper really holds up to all the battering of collage and watercolours I give it on a frequent basis!

After much deliberation, I had to pick the below artist as my favourite one of the lot - by NC Winters, this artwork is just simply so beautiful. It reminds me a lot of Brian Froud (whom I have a deep arty love for) and the mix of stunning realism and magical fantasy is very much up my street!

Check out the rest of the stunning moleskine art here.

The cutest bird bath you'll ever see!

The last but not least share for Magical Monday, is this adorable video of a man cupping water in his hands so his beyond cute pet bird can have a little bath! I am in LOVE! The bird looks so darn happy and it really makes me envy Snow White and this chap at being able to make friends so well with birds!

Watch the video here!

Aaaand I do not have a round up of last week's artwork - sorry! Simply because I am far too tired to upload and edit them and quite would like to have dinner before I fall asleep face down at my computer (we are ordering in as a first day at work treat!). I'll post the latest as soon as I have a spare minute to do so! 

Hope you have had a Magical Monday!

- Emily (aka Little Lyra) xx