Missing Link.

Reading through your old blog posts is odd, around the time I stopped blogging a few major things happened in my life. I feel that looking through old ramblings and photo's leaves this whole chapter of 2015/2016 unturned, for that I apologise. 

Firstly we flew the coop, moved out into our own flat attempting to be true adults. It's still fun, however being grown up is so dull, laundry, council tax and having to buy your own food isn't as awesome as I once thought. Summer this year was really fun, we went to Download Festival and also Liquicity Festival in Amsterdam. Total opposite ends of the music spectrum, however such wonderful memories and experiences took place. Download was almost a write off this year, flooding and knee deep mud dampened the fun despite our best efforts to beat it. As always we still had a great time. I still blame Babymetal and their awful "rain dance" on the first day. Liquicity was insane, thousands of dutch partying to liquid drum and bass by a lake. It was as fascinating as it sounds, beautifully laid out for a festival and really fun despite not being my usual "go to" music. It's really hard to sum up what's happened within the last year, for myself and my family it's been difficult to say the least. My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was one of the scariest things to ever hear. She fought through stronger than we could have ever imagined. Doing so well and keeping us all positive during all of her operations and treatments. I could write a lot more about the subject, however it's still quite hard to publicly speak about. So we will leave that one there.. Mum's diagnosis was shortly after the news of a close friend passing. A shock I will never forget, once of the worst goodbyes. It's heartbreaking, knowing someone so special, insanely funny with so much mischief and knowing you can't give them another huge bear hug. 2015/2016 have sucked, basically. Always the good times follow the bad, but for me the balance was off by a long shot. I can't complain really, the good times always come back. With this thought, I bought a rabbit. A typical Beckie thing to do in hard situations is to make them weirder. She is named Leia, after Princess Leia of course. A little fluffball with a ton of sass. I ran my first 5k to raise money for Cancer Research, also lost some chub in the process. Also I got really good at Crochet, and totally addicted to Vampire Diaries (it sounds awful but it's so good.) I felt like I actually lost a lot of friends this last year and a half, however made some new friends in the process.

Anyway, before I chat on for another year there it is, my year in a paragraph. Followed by some happy photos.

The Dutch.

It's very easy to fall in love with the architecture, flower decor and canals of Amsterdam. The thing i have learnt the most about my time here is that these people are very calm. There isn't an endless rush, people take their time. Calm and complexed most of the time wearing a smile. The english expectations mean nothing here. Amsterdam is the total opposite of London. You rarely get sad faces wondering around the big smoke, just happiness spread everywhere riding bicycles taking their time and most of all not living to work. They enjoy their food, cycling around with such elegance. The supermarkets are full of fresh foods, delicious big salads, fruit boxes and so many olives / picky bits that you can easily realise why they look so much thinner than the British. The fact they have half a shelf for crisps and a whole isle for nuts. The daily exercise cycling everywhere, to the timekeeping and calm aura. I haven't seen anyone so far visually depressed with their heads down and miserable. Everyone is slow, pacing and surrounded by such a calm nature it's mesmerising. It's made me think a lot about my own life back home in the UK. What I can do to adapt and become better, happier and introduce some of the dutch ways into my own life. Firstly, being here i've realised I honestly eat too much junk. It's easier to walk into Tesco with £5 and buy some processed ready meal and some snacks than buy individual ingredients. I love fresh food, however it's just plain laziness and convenience. My life fly's by so fast sometimes that I forget to take it slow and just enjoy my time. Do things that make you smile, appreciate what you have and forget the worries.

- Note: I wrote this in back in July whilst lay on the green of Vondelpark.

Aloha.

My name is Rebecca, Beckie for short.

If you are reading this, there is a good chance you know me somehow already. If not, hey lurker! I’ve been expecting you. It’s nice to see a friendly face, new or old!

I’ve been oversharing since the beginning of time, from this old blog domain of “floraldungarees” to a small number of personal social media accounts. Visual content is how I thrive, photography, art and personal growth is something i’m passionate about. Looking at a photo or post from a year or two ago and realising how far you’ve come. Remembering happy memories and things you used to once love. I think somehow being open, sharing your private thoughts with the world wide web is quite special. People grow with you, follow your huge life moments, sharing the fun together.

I stopped blogging properly October/November 2015. My motivation had hit rock bottom and I felt like I wanted to build my walls up, take some private time away. 

Lately i've been reading a friend's blog which inspired me to reopen Floral Dungarees. I realised I've really really missed this space. With that comes the re-opening of an old blog, also the beginning of a new chapter. High five for reading & supporting me already, you’re awesome.

Week One: Playlist

Here's to something new.

Everyday I walk roughly one and a half miles to work and from work. Spotify is my saviour, the journey is also a great chance to unwind from work and look forward to being in the comfort of my own home.

This week i've been channeling some "First Aid Kit" vibes, I rediscovered "Stay Gold' after a few months. It's a seventies romantic folk rock sound, if you haven't heard them before "My Silver Lining" is a good place to begin.

With a little touch of The Decemberists and Fruit Bats alongside this playlist is guaranteed to cheer you up and get you moving.

1. The Decemberists - Make You Better

2. Gavin Mikhail - I Will Wait

3. Fruit Bats - When U Love Somebody

4. Desert Noises - I Won't See You

5. Purple Ferdinand - In My Dreams

6. First Aid Kit - Master Pretender

7. The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers

8. Alt J - Something Good

9. Fossil Collective - Rivers Edge

Let yourself be the person you’ve secretly always wanted to be.

I love growing up. Defeating expectations and the brilliant realisation that expectations are zilch. When you are a kid things are so easy, I always imagined by 25 i'd have a perfect little house. Similar to Miss Honey from Matilda, a cottage in the woods covered in flowers. Maybe a husband, a baby, a million pounds.. I've always been a dreamer.

I'm a month and two days away from being twenty five and believe it or not I'm happy growing up. Age isn't something you should fear, it's something to embrace.

If you want to eat ice cream for breakfast, who cares? The best thing about being an adult is doing things your own way, sure you will always have to take responsibility. Work your little ass off to pay for everything you need. But you also have this unknown freedom. Ability to make choices for yourself without being overshadowed. It's wonderfully free.

Somedays i'll sit watching a whole series and think "Am I acting like a teenager still mid twenties?" should I be thinking of getting married, reproducing and doing everything that everyone else seems to desire at this age? You know what, time is on my side. Why rush all these things? Girl's who push their partners to propose, why? Is rushing someone in to committing to you really what you want? I'm so happy taking one day at a time, taking each day slowly like a tortoise. It's not about how fast you win the race, but the stuff that happens along the journey.

25, a quarter of the way there.

I'm so excited for the future. Hanging on to this rollercoaster and just watching the world spin me around. Basically, moral of the story. Do what you want, you've got time.

Goals.

1. Keep going.

My new years resolution this year was to teach myself to crochet. Ten months later I've made half of a blanket, yet it's still sat in a corner. I get a whirl of inspiration which lasts a short duration then zilch. Repeat after me .."finish the bloody blanket".

2. Decor

Aka. Walls. Our flat has magnificent bright white walls in every room. White isn't my colour, it's like being at a dentist or somewhere overly hygienic. Unfortunately rented property means don't go crazy, unless it's for canvas, vinyl and photography.

3. Future

My brain is forever thinking "i'm not doing well enough in life" or worrying how I am not pursuing the things i love. You know what? I'm doing bloody well. You cannot predict the future or shape it in every single detail. This year I've accomplished some incredible goals, next year will be even better. 

It's time to stop letting the anxiety win and taking things step by step.

Loose a stone or two? Run 5K? Design some cute kids knitwear?

Whatever is next i'm ready.

4. Travel

This one goes without saying, but has a little deeper meaning.

Lately my life has been a total rollercoaster, without dumb sob stories I've felt like getting away for a few days would be really beneficial. This doesn't necessarily have to be a plane journey, but a visit back to my hometown to visit my northern family would be perfect.

There is something about being back in that little small town with so much nostalgia that reminds me exactly who I am and what to do next.

5. Breathe

Go home, turn on the TV, grab a blanket and that special someone.

Maybe a cat or two.

Snuggle up as close as possible, have a nap.

Enjoy watching something new or even pre-loved.

Relax, you've got time.

6. Dance

Finding old music is like hunting through a vintage book store.

Nostalgia from my youth in the north to early woodland walks every morning.

Last month I rediscovered ZZ Top and it was something i should have done forever ago.

Find new music, create some new memories.

Nobody should ever live in the past, it's already done. 

Sing, even if people can hear you.

Especially if it's a little vampire weekend.

7. Arrange

Okay, so it's my birthday in December.

A big one actually, half a Century. The "big" 25. I'm super excited to be a quarter of the way through. All i'm really dreaming of is some new furniture.

Maybe the gorgeous Ikea dresser and bookcase I've been lusting over since we moved out?

Maybe i'm being over prepared, whatever. I'd really like my heaps of makeup not to have to live on a window ledge anymore. Winter is coming, so is christmas and my birthday so i'll keep this goal in here. Because y'know, being persistent works yes?

Something new.

Things that will eternally make me happy;

. Flowers, fields of colour.

. The Peak District

. Laughter

. The instant chill of dipping your feet into a frozen sea

. I've always been a total sucker for guitar

. Tea

. The scent of old books

. Watching the world pass by sat above the clouds, honestly one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen

. Family

. Spooning

. Being generally ridiculous at festivals

. Vintage shops

You've got time.

This post has been a long time coming, firstly I have been thinking of closing Floral Dungarees permanently. My life has taken new directions within the last six months and my privacy has become something id like to keep. I've always been quite a public spoken person, I've never held back on over sharing my life on the internet. Why? Because why not. I live every day as it's a new chapter and i fully enjoy sharing my adventures with the universe. 

A part of my brain has been telling me to give in to fear, give in to hide my sense of wonder because of others. This is wrong, deep down I know that too. This is why I've kept my social media accounts open to those who have followed me for sometime. This blog, pages of writings, images and visual representations of my mind will now be back open. In a new, updated, fresh slim line way.

Thank you for your continuos support.

B.

Mad Men Finale

Around December late last year I was itching for a new show to be hooked on. After season after season of watching Sons of Anarchy with Nathan nothing compared to Jax Teller's badass biker gang. I'd start something on Netflix then close it after ten minutes. I'd heard of Mad Men and began to see what all the fuss was about. Shows set in a certain era are always fascinating, for me it's the attention to detail. Let me say "Mad Men" really didn't disappoint. If you haven't watched it before i'm not going to spoil the whole thing, but I will however give a little run down of what it all about.

You have Don Draper, the big city businessman bringing home the bacon to his wife and kids. The Glory Wife Betty Draper, ex model and general pain in the ass. The big boss Rodger Sterling, who had a silver spoon since birth but does everything his own way. Joan the gorgeous redhead who really runs things at Sterling Cooper. Peggy, the new girl who doesn't exactly fit in but has a ton of sass and ambition. Throughout the whole show you are seeing hints of how Don Draper isn't really "Don Draper" with a secret military past there is mystery to Jon Hamm's performance. 

Seven seasons later and I have to say, the best bit for me was the movement of the times. From Harry backstage at the Rolling Stone's concert, different race workers, the fifties housewives to the sixties actress. The seventies style and porn star moustaches. Shoutout to the team behind Mad Men as it impeccable. 

All good things come to an end, but I'm especially sad this one did.

Bank Holiday Bath.

All of those products, IN ONE BATH?

Is exactly what most people would say. However, it was a sensual rainbow of scents.

I mixed a little chunk of the Comforter and Yuzu and Cocoa to create a fuchsia peach shade bath which smells like Starburst, I kid you not. Then layered my face with some Cosmetic Warrior facemask, gently washing it off with Angels on Bare Skin after 10-12 minutes. Washing lusciously long hair with Montalbano shampoo bar filled with lemony zesty scents and finally conditioning with Jungle, a solid hair conditioner filled with avocado, cocoa butter and bananas. 

What are your favourite lush scents?

Sealife Centre Brighton

My little sister turned eighteen this month, as a little birthday treat I bought us VIP Gold Tickets to the Sealife Centre in Brighton. Chloe's always been interested in nature, animals and science. The usual almost eighteen year old would prefer clubbing, makeup or a bottle of alcohol. Not my sister, that's the beauty of her she sees everything and isn't swayed by anyone. Her independence and morals are one of her greatest skills. I wish I could have said I wasn't easily influenced as a teenager. 

I'd never been to the Brighton aquarium before and I must say, it was a delightful day. I was fascinated by the structure built underneath the top road. They have endless tanks with some incredible species, our favourites we're the water dragons they are beautiful creatures.

If you get the chance i'd advise you have a wonder.

They have a glass floor boat, interested yet?