Energy and Movement

Sorry I haven't posted in ages, it's a bit hectic around here ( no excuse I know).

The week just ended was my first week back at school , and I practically ran the 10 minute journey to school because I was so excited. I know what you're thinking , it's not normal to want to go back to that treacherous place , but for me , it is. The truth is , I Love School. I Love the sleep-inducing maths lessons and the smell of textbooks that have been locked in a  cupboard for 6 weeks. I Love the running around trying to figure out where your new History classroom is and then realising it's in the same place as last year. And the thing I Love the most , is going back to Art lessons. This year , however, was extra exciting, because I get to start my GCSE Art course. For those of you living outside the UK , GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. They're basically qualifications that most people get when leaving school.
       So , the second the bell went to signify 4th period , I jumped out of my chair in French and skipped along the corridor to my new Art room. It was in that room that I discovered our first topic of the course was ' Energy and Movement' . At first , I was a bit annoyed. Energy and Movement is a very graphic topic , and I am more of a Surrealist/Rococo artist myself. However , I soon found myself changing my mind.

The first thing our Art Teacher made us do ( after a brief summary of the course ) was cut out a square from a black piece of paper he gave us , and stick it on a white piece of paper that he also handed out. Then , we had to draw a straight black line from one edge of the white paper to another. When we were all finished , he lined up the pieces of paper in the middle of a table , and let us all compare each others work. It was so interesting to see how a group of 25 people all had completely different interpretations and results from the same task.  Some had put the square right in the middle of the page , and others had placed it off the edge. Some squares were barely visible , and others were so big that you could hardly see any of the white paper underneath.

    We carried on doing this with different sheets of paper , but each time adding in a new rule , shape or colour. As we progressed , an increasing number of people began to break or bend the rules , including myself. For example , on my second sheet , I cut the square in to smaller pieces and then stuck it down so it gave a 'shattered' effect. I did the same on my third , but this time with a red square shattered on top of a black one .  The designs get more complicated each time. Here is an attempt I made but really didn't like :

I'm really glad we did this exercise , it was a really interesting pyschological test and a great introduction to the topic.

Try it yourself at home . There are a few examples of ones you cand do below. All of the shapes have to be geometric , and all of the lines have to be straight , and touching two edges or corners.

• 1 black square , 1 black line
• 1 black square , 2 black lines
• 2 squares , one black one coloured. 2 black lines
• 2 squares , one black one coloured. One black line , one coloured line.
• 3 geometric shapes , at least one black. One black line
• 3 geometric shapes , at least one black. Two black lines
• 3 geometric shapes , at least one black. Three black lines
• 3 geometric shapes , any colour , three lines , any colour
• Unlimited shapes , unlimited lines , unlimited colours.

We did them on small white squares, but you could do a larger scale piece if you preffered.

Have fun !

Peace , Love and Golden Raspberries

Moosiah

☮ ♥ ♫ :)

xxx



Lemonade

Last thursday , I set out to make some home made lemonade. After several failed attempts in the past , I was a bit apprehensive , but decided to give it a go anyway. I think the problem that I had the last couple of times was with my recipe. It either tasted so sweet that even a chocolate deprived child would find it sickly , or so sour that upon consuming the drinker would look as though they had shoved a whole tub of toxic waste ( The sweets , not actual toxic waste !)) in their mouth and poured in some vinegar. However , this time it actually tasted ... nice? There was just the right amount of water , which in my opinion balanced out the lemon and sugar very nicely. This time I decided to combine a variety of recipes to make my own custom blend. Here it goes :

Sidenote : When I say cup , I mean the measurement and not just any old cup full !

Ingredients :

• 1 cup of sugar ( I used just plain granulated sugar. You can also cut it down to 3/4 of a cup if you want a healthier option , but bear in mind this will make the lemonade much more sour)
• 1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. This will require about 4-6 lemons , depending on their size and how persistant you are with your squeezing ! You may want to buy a few extra for presentation at the end.
• 1 cup of water ( for the syrup)
• 3 to 4 cups of  cold water to dilute ( Tap water , mineral water - it doesn't matter , as long as it's cold. If you want to make your lemonade slightly bubbly , try using carbonated/sparkling water. I haven't tried this , but I'm going to soon , and I'm sure it will be spectacular.)

Utensils :

• A lemon squeezer or juicer. If you don't already have one then they are relatively inexpensive and you could probably find one at your local supermarket for under a fiver. Alternatively , you could splash out on this this amazing squeezer from Alessi. I have adored their products ever since I saw them on the wall of my product design room at school two years ago. I feel I may be detracting from the topic
• A large pitcher or jug. This is to put the lemonade in. You could put it in straight in to seperate glasses , but it is easier to get the right ratios if you put it in a pitcher first , and then pour it in to glasses later.
• A small saucepan
• A measuring jug
• A wooden spoon
• An oven/hob
• A fridge

Method :

1. Firstly , you need to squeeze the lemons. Once you have made a sufficient amount of juice , then you can add it to the pitcher/jug
2. Secondly , make a simple syrup using 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan , gently stirring it with the spoon until all of the sugar has dissolved. Once it is done , add it to the lemon juice in the pitcher.
3. Next , add the cold water to dilute. I reccomend adding it very slowly and taking small taste testers after each bit of water is added. That way , you can make sure it is not too strong or too watery for your taste.
4. Then , leave the lemonade in a fridge for 30-45 minutes , until cold.
5. Finally , pour in to glasses and enjoy ! Serve with slices of lemon if you wish.

This recipe makes about 3-4 pints of lemonade depending on how much water you add. The amount of people it serves depends on your portion sizes , but I would estimate about 4-8 people would get a decent sized glass.

Have fun !

Peace , Love and Leather Satchels

Moosiah

♥ ♫ :)

☮

xxx



French Plaits/Braids

These are a beautiful hairstyle but I find them impossible to do. However , this video I stumbled across on youtube is very helpful and may assist you in learning to french plait your own hair.

I can't say I'm a fan of the woman's jumper , but I am a fan of her tips .

Peace , Love and Flying Monkey's

Moosiah

                                                                         ☮
                                                                             xxx ♥ ♫ :)

A Pocketful of Positivity

Here's a few positive quotes to motivate and hopefully inspire you ! :

‘Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.’

~ Albert Einstein

‘The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men.’

~ George Eliot

‘Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.’

       ~Lao Tzu

‘Be faithful to that which exists nowhere else except in yourself, thus making yourself indispensable.’

    ~ Andre Gilde

‘Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.’

   ~Henry David Thoreau

‘When you help someone up a steep hill, you get nearer the top yourself.’
     ~Anonymous.

‘If you understood what you are doing, you are not learning anything.’

‘Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.’

‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something greater than fear.’

 ~ Ambrose Redmoon

‘When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it – but all that had gone before.’

 ~ Jacob Riis

‘Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature wouldn’t incite us to have them’

‘Live simply so that others can simply live’

 ~ Mahatma Gandhi

‘Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without ever losing your enthusiasms’

~Winston Churchill

‘Out of clutter find simplicity, from discord find harmony, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity’

 ~ Albert Einstein

‘Time spent wishing is time wasted'

 ‘Never Let the Fear of Striking Out Keep You from Playing the Game’    

       ~Babe Ruth

‘Reality is just a concept. The way you perceive what goes on around you, and the manner in which you re-act to it, that would be your reality, all else is just imagination.’

‘Be smarter than the problem’

    ~Krista Finlayosn

‘Accidents happen, what you do after an accident defines who you are.’
       ~ Krista Finlayson

‘If you’re not weird you don’t exist’   

      ~ Marilyn Marinkov   

                            

‘Some people walk in the rain…..others just get wet.’

‘If you wait for the perfect moment, the perfect moment will pass you by’

‘ Sometimes to become bigger You need to be broken to pieces’

 ‘Many people have a good aim in life, but most of them don’t know when to pull the trigger’

‘Either you run the day or the day runs you.’

‘You’ve got to get up every morning with determination, if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.’ - ( My Personal favourite. It's mounted on sparkly blue glitter paper and hangs proudly by my bed)

‘No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself .’

‘Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.’

‘Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey’

‘When in doubt , do it.’

‘Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it’

 ~Greg Anderson

‘ Round here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forwards, opening up new doors and doing new things , because we’re curious ..... and curiosity keeps leading down new paths ‘

    ~ Walt Disney

‘Everybody needs to fall every once in a while. If you never fall you never learn to get back up.’

‘Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom.’
~ Earl Shoaf

‘An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie, for an excuse is a lie guarded.’
~ Pope John Paul I

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus when the limo breaks down.”
~ Oprah Winfrey

“Formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune.”
~Jim Rohn

“It isn’t what the book costs. It’s what it will cost you if you don’t read it.”
~ Jim Rohn

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
~Mahatma Gandhi

“The future has several names. For the weak, it is the impossible. For the fainthearted, it is the unknown. For the thoughtful and valiant, it is the ideal.”
~Victor Hugo

“There is nothing more genuine than breaking away from the chorus to learn the sound of your own voice.”
~Po Bronson

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
~Waldo Emerson

“Use what talents you possess, the woods will be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.”
~ Henry van Dyke

“Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.”
~ Bertrand Russell

“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.”
~  Winston Churchill

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life’s about creating yourself.”
~George Bernard Shaw

“Your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.”
~ Harold B Melchart

“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach.”
~ Benjamin Mays

“More often in life, we end up regretting the chances in life that we had, but didn’t take them, than those chances that we took and wished we hadn’t.”
~ Anonymous

Print them off and stick them on your wall so everyday you can be inspired !

Alli Woods Frederick ( http://www.alliwoodsfrederick.com/) sells some cute little pockets sized postivity cards that you can pop in your handbag .

Peace , Love and Strawberry Shortcake

Moosiah

☮ ♥ ♫ :)

xxx



Spread the Love

 As you may or may not know , it is one of my personal missions in life to spread Love in as many ways as I can. This could range from handing out heart shaped cookies to my friends , to hugging every new person I meet. It could be as simple as complimenting someone , or as complicated as writing a directing a musical declaring your undying Love. However you choose to spread Love , it doesn't matter , as long as you are spreading it in the first place . John Lennon once said :

"It matters not who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it matters only that you love"

He was damn right.

So go out and hug a stranger , surprise your friends with presents , or write a secret Love letter .

If you're stuck for inspiration , then check out these videos from The Love Foundation , a non-profit organistaion who's main goal is simply to spread Love.

Added bonus : It has Mika's 'Love Today' as the soundtrack. Extra awesomeness.

Check out these photos I took at Worms Head in Wales this Monday :

Do you see the heart shaped hole in the middle of the rock? Even nature has a way of Spreading the Love ! ♥



Please excuse the bit of my hair that is floating around at the bottom of the picture
☮

I Hope you all had a Brilliant Bank Holiday week-end !

Peace , Love and Extra Love

Moosiah
☮
xxx ♥ ♫ :) 









Disney jewellery and Self Potraits

Okay , first and foremost , I've been very very (very) slack at posting on here. It's been a month and I've only made two posts. It is my week-end resolution to start making more regular posts . So , here we go ....

I am completely in Love with Disney Couture jewellery at the moment. As an Ex-Disney Child it is the perfect way to recconect with an important part of my childhood ,in a stylish way. Disney Couture jewllery is available at many online retailers , including one odf my favourite online stores , asos . Here are a few of my favourite pieces from asos.com :

  

Disney Couture Have Faith In Your Dreams Enamel Bangle - £28 ( It comes in pink AND black ! )



Disney Couture 14ct Gold Plate Believe Tink Necklace - £24.50




Disney Couture Gold Tone 'Fantasy' Ring  - £22 ( feeding my ring obsession ... )


There are loads more brillaint and beautiful pieces , follow this link  and check them out!



Next up ' How to perfect your self-potrait'

Do you ever look at someone's profile picture and wonder ' How did they get the photo to look so good?'. Well the answer is , it's all about angles. Finding the right angle for your face is the best thing you can do to improve self-potrait photos. Why not experiment , try out a variety of shots? This way you're sure to find one that suits you . Some people look best from straight on ( I'm certainly not one of them ) , but look pants in a profile shot. Others can take beautiful photos from the side , but face on they look like a moneky who swallowed a gobstopper. For example, I look best slightly turned to the side with my head at an angle , so I pose like that in most photos :

But from the front , I look like a nincompoop:

There is a brilliant guide to improving self-potraits on 'A Brilliant Mess ' ( which by the way , is an awesome website ) , go take a look here.

If you have any tips and suggestions of your own email me at thegirlinthetree@hotmail.co.uk

Good Luck and Happy Photo Taking !

Peace , Love and Cheerleading Uniforms ,

Moosiah
☮ ♥ ♫ :)

30 things to do when you're feeling bored, unconfident or uninspired ♥

One of the things that annoys me most in life ( and I'm not the kind of person who gets annoyed easily ) , is when people say they're bored. They are millions , billions , trillions of things you could do with your time , so how could you possibly feel bored?  Some of my friends say ' But I don't have the confidence to do the things that you do ' or ' I can never think of any ideas of what to do. If you are one of those people who gets bored easily  , has confidence , or just needs a bit of inspiration , there's no need to worry , because I've come up with 30 ways to cure boredom , raise self esteem , and inspire you :


1. Grab a Yoga Mat/ Blanket and go and do Yoga in the park. It will get your blood running , and your creative juice flowing. It's also tremendously good for you !


2. Take a bubble bath. If you're feeling particularly daring , where a crazy headpiece whilst in the bath , such as one of  these antler headpieces , which you can buy on Etsy.


3. Reinvent your wardrobe by turning  old clothes in to new ones. Sort through your wardobe , and chuck any clothes that don't fit , never suited you , don't hang right , never wear etc. in to a pile. Then slash, slice , and add to them in the most creative way possible. If you don't have a sewing machine , you could always try handsewing , or even invent a new way to join fabric !  ( You can also buy some good sewing machines here. My favourite is the Brother Innov- IS- I , if only I had that much disposable income ! )


4. Buy some new rings . I ADORE  rings  , they are an instant way to add excitement to your hands . I have a collection of candy coloured jewel rings , you can buy some beautiful ones at http://www.accessorize.com/.


5. Buy a pair of ridiculously high heels , and try and walk in them. I'm thinking Alexander McQueen Armadillo height? This is always amusing , but please be careful , and try not to break your ankle.


6. Talk to strangers. I know your parents always told you not to , but it is really fun and a great way to boost your confidence. Even if it is just a simple 'Good Morning' , or 'Hello' , it  is a great way to increase self-esteem and charisma. You can also find  out a lot of interesting information about people.  And you never know , you could  make some important contacts for a future job , or simply make a new friend. Go try it. Now.


7. Dance in public. This is another good self-esteem booster, although it is a little embarrasing at first. Don't worry if you have two left feet ( I have five) , just give it a go . No one cares if you look stupid , and if they do , that's their problem , not yours.


8. Go to your local library and see if they have a summer reading list. If they do , read it , or at least part of it. if they don't , ask the librarian for his/her personal reccomendations , more often than not you'll find an excellent book that you'll fall in love with. Reading is a great way to  cure boredom , and expand
knowledge .

'Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him.'
John Locke


9. Try  new foods.  One thing that a lot of people like to do when they are bored? Eat. Everyone ( most people anyway) enjoy eating. So why not try some new foods?


10. Buy a hula hoop and use it. Hula hoops are INSANELY fun , although that may be the child in me speaking. They are also a fantastic exercise , and many celebrities use hula hoops to stay and shape.


11. Experiment with make up. This usually provides humorous results. Try out new combinations of lipliner and lipstick , eyeshadows etc. You could even go completely nuts and use lipstick and eyeshadow/eyeliner to paint your face like a clown. I did this once , scared the socks of my little sister !


12. Buy a face painting set . This is similar to the last one , but you have more choice. Will you be a tiger? A butterfly? The choice is yours.


13. Bake cupcakes and deliver them to your friends houses. This not only puts a smile on your face , but a smile on theirs as well. You may find that the more you do this , the more popular you become. Like I said before , people like eating .


14. Do a different piece of nail art on each nail. I LOVE  doing this. It's really fun and good for inspiration and creativity. It really pushes you to use your imagination in a fun way. It's also a lot cheaper than  having it done professionally.


15. Buy a pair of oversized sunglasses and walk around town in them. Pair them with a large pout and a small dog in your handbag .People give you strange looks , which just adds to the fun of it.


16. Take a belly-dancing class. They are great funny , really fun , and great exercise. I did one last year at school and had a blast. Added Bonus : You get to wear one of those awesome jingly skirts !


17. Make lemonade. Nothing better than a cold glass of freshly squeezed lemonade on a hot summers day. Here's a good recipe :

Perfect Lemonade Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

Method

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.
2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.
3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.
Serve with ice, sliced lemons.
Yield: Serves 6.


Source : www.simplyrecipes.com


You can also find a delicous recipe for peach lemonade here.


18 : Have a movie marathon with a friend .


19. Make a Mood Board of clothes that inspire you and hang it by your wardrobe. Refer to it everytime you need a bit of style inspiration.


20. Go on Google Translate , and then click english to english. Type in rude words and press the sound button so you can hear the lady say them. It's hilarious. Yes , I am easily amused.


21 . Eat sour skittles. They taste splendiforous and are a great snack to eat whilst brainstorming creative ideas .


22. Go on a trampoline. It might be yours , a friends , or a local gyms. I guarantee you will have fun. Added Bonus : You burn trillions of calories.


23. Arrange a water fight. I don't reccomend this in winter , but in summer it is a lot of fun. Invite loads of people to make it more interesting.


24. Have a Tea Party. I Love, Love LOVE Tea-parties. They are brillaint fun and allow you to be really creative as you can decorate in the most imaginative and artistic way. They also improve your baking skills ( if you bake the food) , and your social skills ( good for gaining confidence). I will be writing a more detailed article dedicated to tea-parties soon , so watch out for it.


25. Cloud watch. Some find this boring , I find it very relaxing. Added bonus : you increase your imagination by coming up with wacky ideas for each cloud shape.


26. Get up to watch the sunrise. This doesn't really cure boredom , but it is isnpiring , and very , very beautiful.


27. Skip stones at a lake. There is nothing better than watching your stone bouncing 4 or 5 times on the water before making the satisfying 'plop' sound as it dissappears in to the lake. Like I said , I'm easily amused.


28. Write a story. It doesn't have to be long. It can be about whatever you like. Just write one. I spent practically my whole childhood sat in trees ( Hence the name ' The Girl In The Tree' , I was called that on several occasions.) , writing stories about numerous things. They are a great way to get your emotions out , and to increase your creativity.


29. Design your own shoes on Shoes of Prey . They will be custom made by hand , and sent to you. Brilliant ! <3


30. Go Paintballing. I went paintballing for the first time two weeks ago and had the time of my life. It is brilliant fun , uses your logic, imagination , innovation , tactical and problem solving skills , and is a great bonding experience. And despite what people say , it really isn't that painful. I was expecting it to be horribly , shockingly , absurdly painful , and was anticipating hundreds of big , ugly bruises. In reality , it stung for a couple of seconds like being flicked with an elastic band , and then went away. And I only got two small bruises which had faded within two days of my paintballing adventure. Try it , don't be scared.




Peace , Love  and Homemade Jam


Moosiah


☮ ♥ ♫ :)

PS : I might not post for a while as I am off on a magical adventure to Lefkada for two weeks. Enjoy your summer !

Lefkada !!! ☮ ♥ ♫ :)

Welcome !

Bonjour my little pineapples, and Welcome to ‘The Girl In The Tree’,

Fall down the rabbit hole with me as I enter the magical (and slightly daunting) world of blogging. I am a dedicated Lover of all things Weird and Wonderful, so if you read my blog, you can expect to find an eclectic array of articles, photos , videos, musings and other such things.  Every day/week/month I will create a selection of posts relating to Fashion, Art, Film , Music , Food and many more wondrous things for you to  jump , dive and delve in to . I hope you enjoy reading my blog, and I hope you decide to follow me. If you do, you are Wonderful, and if you don’t, you’re still Wonderful !

Peace, Love and Vintage Typewriters

Moosiah

☮ ♥ ♫ :)

PS : If you like what you find here ,  be sure to follow me follow my twitter account ‘girlinthetree13' , and my tumblr blog , 'The Girl In The Tree'