Penrhyn Castle and the Problem with Material Culture

Since the beginning of the year, I've been making an effort to travel to places that aren't that far away yet I've never actually visited. Therefore, I've accumulated quite a collection of snaps that I'm intending to share here at some point, and I was going to do so in date order because I'm a bit of a stickler for chronological order. However today I'm going to talk about a more recent trip to Penrhyn Castle in Bangor, North Wales. This one is playing heavy on my mind at the moment, particularly because I went the day after 'b-day' and I was naturally feeling devastated by the result, and also troubled about the future of the UK.

Goals for 2016

So, we're now a few weeks into February and here I am writing about what it is I'm hoping to achieve in 2016 (a little late to the party I know!). The truth is, I'm not a big believer in New Year's Resolutions, instead thinking that a healthier way to make a change is to do so organically and when you feel like you need to. So this is more like a general list of things I'm hoping to do, rather than a must-stick-to-it-resolution, mostly because it feels like a good place to start after a little blogging break.

The Weekend Whim: What We Leave Behind

When I'm not baking cakes/making notes on the iconoclasm/sewing/marathoning Game of Thrones like a pro, you'll find me volunteering at my local museum. It's something that I don't really talk about here very often, but it's something that I love doing, and has grown to be a big part of my life. A project I've been working on for the past couple of years is transcribing a collection of handwritten letters (somewhere in the region of over 300 of them!), and recently it's got me thinking about the kind of personal artefacts that my generation will leave for the future, especially in the age of social media.

5 Confessions of a Bad Blogger

First things first, let's just clarify that there's no such thing as a "good" blogger or a "bad" blogger. The great thing about blogging is that it has no set rules, and is an open field for you to do what you want with it. However, if you've been reading blogs for long enough, you'll soon find that there are typical things that a lot of blogs and their authors do, and it is these that I want to talk about (in particular my failure to do them!).

Looking Ahead

So here it is - the obligatory post on my hopes and goals for 2015. But no fear - I won't be getting overly soul searchy here, as instead I'll be talking about all of my creative goals for the coming year. So, to find out what it is I'm hoping to be making, the techniques I'm hoping to master, and the lessons I'm hoping to learn, read on!

What I'm Loving: December 2014

Photos from my Instagram account

I hope you've all had a lovely week surrounded by friends and family, regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not. It's come to that time again where I share my favourites from the past month, but this one's special - it's the last one of 2014! I'm not really one for New Year's resolutions, but at this time of year I can't help but think about the year ahead. Hopefully 2015 treats you all good too!

What I'm Loving: November 2014

Photos from my Instagram

November has sped by at an alarming rate, and I'm ashamed to say that I've only just started to think about Christmas! I've been using the dark evenings as an excuse to start new boxsets, drink copious amounts of nutella hot chocolate, and prepare for new craft projects. Most of these being based around the winter ahead, but any excuse for anything jumper related is good for me!

What I'm Loving: October 2014

Photos from my Instagram profile

Let's just take a ten minute break from carving pumpkins, applying spooky make up, watching scary movies, having a quiet evening in, or whatever else it is you're doing this Halloween night, and let me tell you about everything October.

What I'm Loving: September 2014

Pictures from my Instagram account

September always rolls around and makes me think of new beginnings - probably a remainder from my school days, even though it's been a good few years since I had to prepare myself for a new school year. That's all about to change though, as in a week's time I will be starting to work my way towards getting a degree (which I am really, really excited about). Don't worry though, I'll still be regularly posting here, and I've got some posts coming up which I am super excited for! Before I get ahead of myself though, here are my favourite things from September...

Stuck in a Creative Rut

It happens to the best of us, regardless of what it is you do for a living, or what it is you do as a hobby. At the moment, I feel like I am well and truly stuck in a rut. For approximately the past week, I have been left feeling rather uninspired when it comes to a lot of projects - those I've got planned, and those I'm halfway through. Although it inevitably happens to all of us at one time or another, I am determined to get over this bump as soon as possible, and am going to be trying a few things to help me snap out of it...

A Weekend in Anglesey

Last weekend saw our second visit to Anglesey this year, and it's one of those places that never loses it's magic. I took about 2753734 photos, ate copious amount of bara brith, and just generally enjoyed the relaxed vibe of the beautiful island. I'm sharing some of the highlights here, and I'm already getting wanderlust for Anglesey all over again...

What I'm Loving: August 2014

The end of August usually signifies the end of summer, even for those of us who aren't really affected by the whole "back to school" vibe in the air. This year is no different, although I have to say I'm actually really looking forward to Autumn - jumpers, layering, and exciting new ventures. Here's what I've been up to in August...

Liebster Award Nomination

So, this week, the lovely Jill from Owlish Dreams (go and check out her amazing blog) nominated me for the Liebster Award. If you haven't heard of it before (where have you been?), here's the deal: The Liebster Award is aimed at spreading the news about up and coming bloggers, and gives recognition to newer blogs. Along the way, nominees have to share a few facts about themselves, as well as answer a few questions. So, here we go!

1st Blogiversary Giveaway

As promised earlier this week, here is a giveaway to celebrate Awake + Make turning one! I've had a lot of fun putting this selection of goodies together, and hope you guys like it as much as I do. For more details on the prizes, and the all important entry detail, read on...

What I've Learnt from One Year of Blogging

Today marks exactly one year since I started writing here at Awake + Make. The time has just flown, and although it barely feels like I've been blogging for a year, now I cannot imagine not blogging. So, put on a party hat and help yourself to a slice of birthday cake, because today I am celebrating one year of Awake and Make!

My Crafting Stash

Roll up, roll up! You are cordially invited to a whistle stop tour of my crafting stash. I like clearing out my crafting stash on a regular basis, where I get rid of anything that isn't being used, or anything that I cannot see myself using. During my most recent clear out, I took some photos of some parts of my stash, just for you guys to have a nose around. Because everyone loves a nose through someone else's cupboards, amirite?

What I'm Loving: July 2014

Well folks, we're officially over halfway through another year, which is super scary to say the least. But also really exciting, because I'm (hopefully) starting a few new things later on in the year. Before I get ahead of myself though, let me talk you through all things July...

New Blog Design

You may or may not have noticed my week long hiatus from blog-land (sorry!), but it's because I've been working on something very exciting - redesigning Awake + Make! It's something that I've been meaning to do for a while now, and I've only just mustered up the courage to face coding. So, let me talk you through the new design...

Fashion, Fur, and Fairtrade

If you're a regular reader, you'll know that I don't really do 'serious' posts over here on Awake + Make. It's normally a case of gushing about a nice dress I've thrifted, or talking about my latest DIY project, having a light-hearted chat, and sharing the photographs. However, something happened this week which caused me to re-evaluate my consumer choices, whether I'm buying something new, second hand, or even purchasing supplies to create my own clothes.

What I'm Loving - June 2014

I always find June to be quite an exciting month, because to me it definitely feels like the first month of summer. This year is no different, and I'm already planning and anticipating lazy summer days ahead. I always notice that in the summer months, my crafting habits change and I tend to lay off anything involving wool. Maybe now would be the best time to start knitting, in order to finish for winter, but at the moment, my brain is just too preoccupied with florals and sandals to even think that far ahead.