It’s been a while. Necessarily.
There have been seismic shifts in June.
June brought with it a swell in a movement that has long been overdue. You’d have been living under a rock to miss the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM). A month on, social media still has posts streaming through it. As it should.
Whatever the world looked like when we went into lockdown, it will not look the same when we come out of it.
It shouldn’t.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you what to do, nor what I’m doing. I struggled with that for a while, wanting to come on here and do a whole post. But why? To make myself feel better? That’s not what this is about. We all have learning to do, and that is going to look different for everybody, but it must be done regardless. Just make sure you’re doing it, however you can. There is no dipping out of this one. Not now.
And with that, because there will be no virtue signalling here, this is what else I was getting up to in June…
Reading has still not been a thing. I read an old favourite back in May, and since then I’ve been glued to the news – verging on unhealthily so – so I had to take a step back. Obviously still paying attention to everything, but reducing the hours spent glued to story after story.
The key word of June, for me, has been ‘balance’. It’s not possible to nope out of the goings on in the world anymore, even if you want to, but too keep momentum here – as with anything – balance is key.
The book for June is Caroline Hirons’ long-awaited Skincare, the release of which was pushed back a couple of months by ‘rona.
If you don’t know, Caroline Hirons is an aesthetician who knows her stuff, does not pander to anyone, and is a fount of clear and to-the-point knowledge. There is no faffing about with Caroline, which is one of the many reasons her opnions are highly valued and why her book topped bestseller lists as a pre-order (if I’m not mistaken).
I discovered Caroline a few years ago when I was looking for reviews on Beauty Pie (which I have yet to sign up to, but after I’ve finished up my current raft of products, it may well be happening) and I was hooked.
It you want any advice on skincare, I would make this your first port of call.
Two outstanding releases have dropped in the last few months – Nu’est released their latest mini-album, helmed by title track I’m in Trouble, and Seventeen have provided their newest offering featuring the infectious title track Left & Right. They are both fantastic.
I’m in Trouble is a silky-smooth dance number with killer base line and just a slickness that Nu’est have been perfecting with every release.
Left & Right is a bop in every sense of the word. The song just brings so much joy and quite possibly takes the dance of the year title for 2020. Everyone’s doing it (and when I say everyone, I am being somewhat Korea specific).
There have been other great releases recently, but that’s for a Mixtape Monday post (if it’s not already out!)
Along with the rest of the country (and a fair portion of the world) have been living in leggings and baggy t-shirts or activewear. You can apparently tell when I’m having an off day because I, and I quote the boy “dress to make myself feel better”. Who doesn’t! As a result, though, there hasn’t been much fashion going on in terms of day-to-day wearing, but I have been sewing.
My current favourite thing is this bandana dress inspired by (originator?) @pyschic.outlaw and other makes by @thelondonloom and @elisalex of By Hand London. Definitely go and check these guys out!
I have a slew of projects floating around in my mind, plenty of fabric in my stash to make them a reality, and a makers workbook from @patterntraceuk that I won (along with some swedish tracing paper, which is just the best thing ever) thanks to the beauty that is @modistasewing. There’ll be a whole post about the workbook and my sewing plans and makes so far, coming soon!
So I’ve already mentioned the wonder who is Caoline Hirons, so here we’ll discuss some #carolinehironsmademedoit purchases/routines.
I was keen on skincare, but lazy about it. Now I’m thirty (still weird to type that out) it’s time to be a lot more bothered about my skin. In June I both added to my regimen and also cleared out the bits and bobs that weren’t working for me, or shouldn’t reeeeeealy have been there in the first place.
The two new additions (so far) have been Heritage Store Rose Petals Rosewater and Heliocare 360 Oil-Free Gel SPF 50. For someone so pale, I’ve been bad about SPF as part of my skincare regimen (I’ve never been one to tan either, but still, no excuse!)
As for routine, I have been more diligent about washing my face morning and night – and implementing the fabled double cleanse.
My skin is already doing so much better. It’s amazing the difference actually bothering to do something can make – an ethos we can carry through to everything we do in life, perhaps. Imagine the differences we could see and make.
It has been an excellent (and yet not) food month. Me… eat my feelings… absolutely.
There has been a roast chicken, coronation chicken, brunch, choc chip cookies (they’re getting a whole post of their own), mapo tofu (the boy cooks that one), Victoria sponge cake, carbonara and tiramisu. All delicious.
I’m pretty sure the only reason I haven’t expanded any more than I have is that I managed to get a reasonable amount of yoga in there throughout the month, and in the last few days there, reeled the eating back in which provides a quick, noticeable change for me.
Honestly, I’m not mad about any of it anymore. Food is good, I know I can eat well and feel good, and I know I can treat us to different foods and it’s such a treat. I’d never made either carbonara or tiramisu before, and I’ll definitely be making them both again. Just not too soon!
Bread baking continues to be a source of joy, especially when they come out of the oven looking like this:
Reading might not have been happening much, but the crafting certainly has. Bookmarks, decoupage, cards, envelopes… some things I can’t yet share!
Lockdown has been grim for a whole host of reasons, yet there have been some silver linings. There has been space to be creative in this new normal – the benefit of not having a commute!
Much like skincare, I’ve been bothering to exercise more, and I’ve finally got myself into doing more regular yoga and I love it! I managed about half of the month (which for me is pretty good going) following Yoga with Adriene’s 30 day’s of Yoga playlist.
More than anything, the mental benefits of doing regular yoga have surprised me and I’m keen to continue for that reason alone. On top of that, my ridiculously tight calf muscles are slowly beginning to loosen – there might be hope for downward dog yet!
Re-Cap:
It’s been a month, and this is only the tip of the iceberg of what’s been going on in June (on top of the day job an’ all!) Hopefully, July will bring more balance, more exercise (we’re switching up a bit), some more new cooking, and all the sewing. Wardrobe of dreams, here I come!
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