An Arty Booty

I know, I know, it's been a while since I last blogged and I am honestly so so sorry! I have been busy back in the land of Thai and due to that I have been rather occupied. But alas, without further ado here is a fairy cute art supplies haul...

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Kawaii Animal Washi Tape

I walked into Zeen Zone, and out of the corner of my wee little eye was this extremely cute washi tape! It has little teeny animal figures all over it, each doing something such as eating or the conga. As the name of the tape is in Japanese I have absolutely no idea what it is called or the brand name.

Mini Pom Pom Strings

If you have been out and about recently you will have noticed that the pom pom craze is kicking off. These little fluffy things are all over shorts and crop tops these days, thus are now widely available in craft stores. I picked up these mini pom pom strings for just over £1 and just imagine the delightful possibilities!

Bear Washi Tape

So as you can tell I am adding washi tape into my life. This thin tape is also from Zeen Zone and look how charming is is!

Square Sketch Book

These are my favourite sketchbooks, they are by a brand called 'Archimycheal' and are brilliant! They have normal paper, not watercolour so when you paint the colour does come through, but the ruggedness of these sketchbooks is why I love them. They have a solid cover and back, thus you can doodle anywhere.

Farm Yard Stickers and Tape

As an avid sticker collector I couldn't miss a chance to add to my collection. These also came with a bonus grass-like washi tape.

Blue Gridded Washi Tape

Yep. More washi tape. This one is more versatile though as it is just a nice simple pattern.

Mushroom Pattern Notebook

I have another notebook by this brand and absolutely love it. They have little square tabs in the back that you can pull out, so you don't have to tear a whole page out if you want to pass a note on. This one has teeny mushys all over it, anything with plants, I'll have it.

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I hope you enjoyed my little haul, and sorry for the vast amount of washi tape!

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Library Sky Garden, Birmingham

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On Wednesday my good friend Becky and I went on a nice little trip to Birmingham. We were on our way to the Ikon gallery near the river when we walked by this beautifully designed building. I have always had a soft spot for architecture and couldn't take my eyes off of it! A few moments later I realised that I had seen this stunning construct before...it was on a BBC gardening program and it was a library! Becky and I noticed people on the various roof levels and putting two and two together, there where to be gardens on the canopy's. After our quick and un-fulfilled visit to the Ikon we walked into the library and found our way to the top.

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The Library's exterior

The Library's exterior is a true marvel, it is so impressive. This postmodern creation was designed by architect Francine Houben who is renowned for her playful, human style. The building was opened in 2013 and has been given various architectural awards, no wonder why.

There are 3 gardens to visit in total, sadly we only visited two (as the 3rd one we didn't know about!); the 9th floor holds the "Discovery Terrace" which includes fruit, vegetables and herbs. The 7th floor has "The Secret Garden" containing bright and colourful flowering plants and grasses, and finally there is the first balcony with other go green plants. The aim of these gardens is to a) reduce the city's carbon footprint and b) provide some calm green space, where city goers can relax and escape the busy streets below. This building was given the BREEAM "Excellent" rating due to its sustainable methods such as the gardens but also including low carbon technology for heating and cooling, low energy lighting and water conservation systems.

Views from the sky gardens

The library's rooftops give great views of the city and provide a breath of fresh air.

As you can see there is a diverse amount of plant life, we found ladybugs and bumblebees all enjoying what the gardens had to offer.

If you are wanting to visit the Library yourself it is located on Broad Street near The ICC, and is of course free to enter!

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Becky and I

Simple Summery Flower Nails!

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I wanted to paint my nails but also didn't want to paint my nails, so I opted for a charming flower motif instead! It looks cute and is super easy to do at home...

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You will need: 

A clear top coat. 

Mine is by Beauty Buffet; its cheap and cheerful.

Two fairly opaque nail polishes.

I used 17's "Parma Violet" and "Bolt from the blue".

A dotting pen:

To make a dotting pen, simply get hold of a pencil that has an eraser built into the end. Stick the needle into the eraser and there you have it! The pencil makes the needle easier to handle. 

A palette. 

Any form of flat based receptacle will be fine!

(I tried out other colours as you can see)

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The Making:

(Sorry that there are no images) 

1. Apply one layer of your clear top coat and wait for it to go tacky.

2. Select the colour you desire to be the centre of the flower and pour some onto the palette.

3. Using your dotting tool, dab it into the colour on your palette and dot onto the centre (or anywhere you would like the flower) of your nail. 

4. Again, but with a different colour for the petals, pour the paint onto the palette.

5. Like before, dot the petals into place, and wait to dry.

6. Apply top coat to seal them in!

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Fin

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