Autumn Playlist 2017

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

The time has finally come. The time of cosy socks, jumpers, the colour orange, hot chocolates and crunchy leaves. Autumn and Winter has always been my FAVOURITE time of year. I have the complexion of a ghost, suffer from severe chub-rub and cant deal when the temperature is slightly too high, so the cold weather is a welcome relief after the summer months. Autumn has become a sort of trend in the last couple of years, which is great for me since Halloween house decor has become widely more available than before, but I dunno how it's taken everyone else so long to catch "Autumn fever". But in theme of this "Autumn fever" I thought I'd write a quick post on what songs I will be overplaying this season. I believe it's necessary to get your playlist ready, to keep you relaxed on the snuggly nights, whilst watching the leaves change colour. Take a gander-

So that's my list for this year (severely shortened as you don't have all day).

What songs do you love listening to through the Autumn season? :)

Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

Tale As Old As Time

Recently the new 'Beauty and the Beast' was released and it was amazing.

Don't know about you, but it was one of my favourite films as a kid and as soon as I heard it was being remade I was so excited of it becoming live action. So, looking for inspiration, I thought I would create some prints based on the characters.

Originals before edit

Lately I've been practising with watercolour paints and paper as colour has never been my strong point and have always preferred to work in black and white with pen. Considering this medium of working is a weakness of mine I am very happy with how they have turned out!

I'm sure other illustrators will empathise with the feeling of trying to create a group of illustrations, trying to make each one as good as the last. A lot of the time I start something and struggle to finish it, or have an amazing idea for a collection but then lose the will to even start due to lack of confidence or anxiety striking. So not only am I happy with how these have finished, I also feel a personal accomplishment for overcoming the walls that constantly stops me from continuing my work.

Tea-Cup

I randomly started with the tea-cup piece, thinking about how Chip looks. Afterwards I was unsure whether I should have thought about it more and actually included a chip in the mug, but the idea came to me so quickly that I just went with it and wasn't too bothered with how it was going to turn out at that point.

Cogsworth

Cogsworth was the most fun to create and the most challenging because of how detailed he is in the new films compared to the old one. I made the decision to keep him simple because he just wouldn't fit in if I had gone with the idea of making the detail very intricate.

Lumiere

Lumiere was the final design I created and was a complete pain in the ass. I drew, rubbed out and redrew around 6 times before i gave up and just got on with it. That was the point where I realised that the annoying little perfectionist voice in my head could just go fuck itself. After I had cut myself loose from that and just did whatever I could to get it done, I was surprised to find that it was actually the piece that everyone was most interested in. Just goes to show that my inner perfectionist doesn't always know what it's talking about.

Currently I'm brainstorming new ideas for designs and collections to slowly push myself a little further. Not only that but also new blog-posts that don't necessarily have to relate to my work or wait until I'm finished creating something and delve more into my interests or loves in life.

If you would like to purchase any of these designs I have my own Society 6 page, or any enquiries about my work you can email me via chloeisobelle@msn.com.

Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

My 2016

First and foremost- HAPPY NEW YEAR! It is now 2017 and I'm rather sad that I now have to wait until Halloween to get excited about the holiday season again. But despite how miserable 2016 has been for most of us around the world, for me personally I have had a great year! I moved in with my boyfriend, found a job I enjoy and made strides in my self-confidence and moving forward in my personal work.

So I thought since it is the start of a new year I would write briefly about looking back at all the main fun things of the last year. This is a little bit of a long post so I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

York

January last year myself, my mam and my sister visited York for a day out. If you have never been to York I very much recommend it, it is a beautiful place!

We didn't have any plans for this day out other than have a wander through 'The Shambles' and stuff our faces. Naturally we visited the cathedral, you cant really have a day out there and not do that. York is somewhere you can easily stay in York without any plans in mind and still have an amazing time just looking at the Victorian buildings, snooping through the market and discovering weird new places.

My family don't get too many days out together now I don't live at home anymore, we all work and my sister will be leaving for University soon, so days like this are always a lot of fun. Maybe need to bring dad along with us next time...

Wedding

Back in February it was my boyfriends Auntie Charlotte's wedding. This meant I had an excuse to wear a puffy tea dress, as if I belonged in Wonderland for a day!

Despite it being in the freezing cold of February it was such a beautiful day. I met some new lovely people and felt very privileged to be invited to witness such a wonderful event. The bride and groom wore matching, red converse with the date on the side. Far more adorable than the heels that were trying to murder my feet!

Saying Goodbye to Elmo

Me and my family had a very sad time last Spring when one of our cats, Elmo, was hit by a car and needed to be euthanised. He did come home for a few days to recover but he wasn't showing any kind of improvement. After some older injuries were discovered, it was decided his quality of life was just not going to be very good if he did ever recover.

My poor little bean

Losing a family member (human or not) is always extremely hard and upsetting, but when it's quick and unexpected it's all the more devastating. I miss him so much and the house felt so much emptier without him plodding around, taking up all the bed, howling in the garden with a frog wedged in his gob... He was definitely a unique animal and as much as I do miss him, I am very happy he is no longer in the pain he was in.

Birthday at Mog On The Tyne

If you live in or around Newcastle, you should be very aware of the glorious cat cafe Mog On The Tyne. If not, why not? What's wrong with you?! Of course you might not be a cat person, but if so I still ask what's wrong with you?! I love this cafe and so I chose to celebrate my birthday by visiting for a hot chocolate and a cake.

Stan is my favourite of the cats. He was once hit by a car which left him with a derpy little face and his tongue sticking out constantly. This only adds to his fluffy little charms. The cafe is stunningly decorated and full of amusing toys and boxes to play with.

If you would like to visit you can book via their website, this is £5 for an hour or get a second hour half price. It isn't an expensive trip as all the drinks and snacks are very reasonably priced.

P.S. Keep any whipped cream away from Tyrian. She will try to distract you and steal it.

Moved in With My Fave

In August came the massive effort of packing up all my stuff and moving into my boyfriends flat. From all the packing and the several trips in the van, it's hard to imagine that I only occupied one room in the house! Thanks to all the poor people who helped me, I'm well aware I have a slight hoarding issue and if you ever meet my dad you'll definitely see where I get that from...

Hearing others stories and opinions about moving in together makes people a little fearful about moving in with your partner and whether it will work. What if you argue? What if they have habits that are just a complete no-go to you? What if you just get sick of the sight of them? I wondered 

It's awesome living together and having him to come home to every night (usually to him making tea, because he really is the best).

Illuminations

Every year in October/November, Sunderland put on a gorgeous light display in Roker Park. Myself and Chris have visited for the last 3 years we've been together and it's always so much fun to walk around. The previous years had an Alice In Wonderland theme, with bright tea cups and dancing cards everywhere. This year was a pirate theme with huge ships and sailors sword fighting, then a fairy trail down by the stream.

Leading up to the event seemed a lot more popular than before, it required a ticket for entry and had several large food stalls that weren't there previously. This meant I just HAD to buy myself a massive Nutella and whipped cream crepe and slop it all over myself.

Prague

I have always had the distant dream of travelling the world and experiencing other cultures. I've never travelled much outside the UK so our holiday to Prague for Halloween was an amazing trip!

First of all I haven't been on a plane for over 10 years, so that was a strange experience. I'm really not too fond of the take off! Or the long wait around in another airport to catch a connecting flight.

You have no idea how long it took to get this photo

Arriving in Prague and seeing all the gorgeous buildings and charming streets was just mind blowing. You know all those pictures on Pinterest of pretty local streets of cobbles, and trees covered in fairy lights, framing either side? That is what Prague looked like.

We had a list of so many things we wanted to see and I'm so happy we did get through almost all of them. The astronomical clock was stunning! I tried to climb the tower above it to see the view but I got to the top and remembered that heights aren't my friend. There is also an art museum opposite with works of Dali, Warhol and Mucha which we visited. You had to pay for each exhibition but I was only really interested in seeing the works of Mucha as I've always adored his style and Art Nouveau look.

Of course we obviously had to visit the Sex Toy Museum and sit on the back of a giant wooden penis. That's just a given. We were also privileged enough to watch the first ever porn film to feature a threesome and it was gross.

Wow. Just wow.

Touring around and seeing this city is something that I will never forget. It was my first proper trip away doing what I love with the one I love. Now I have had a taste of travel I have so many more plans for places to see. If I had never ending funds I'd pack up tomorrow and never been seen in the UK again.

Our first Christmas

Our Christmas this year held a lot of 'firsts'. The first year we bought our own tree and our own decorations, which we had so much fun actually putting up. And in previous years me and Chris haven't spent any time together on Christmas day. We always spend Christmas Eve with his mams side of the the family, then I spend that night and Christmas at home with my family and he with his dads family. So this was the first year that we both came back to our flat on Christmas night and spent time opening our presents for each other under our own tree.

Yes that is Dumbledore

It was so nice to spend that time together on Christmas day in our own home. Though I still haven't unpacked or rearranged all of the presents... I'm sure I will finish that at some point in the New year...

Happy new year, from mine to yours! I hope you make 2017 great!

Thanks for reading

Chloe x

Instagram Best 9

It's time for Instagram's Best 9 of the year!

If you aren't on Instagram and have no idea what I'm talking about, at the end of every year Instagram has a generator to show which 9 photos you have posted in that year have gained the most popularity. Not that exciting but it's something that's always nice to see, especially for those trying to gain attention through social media for work like myself.

Anyway mine is-

I am rather chuffed with that outcome, a nice varied bunch and good few memories in there!

1. Go Fuck Yourself cat is an embodiment of how I was feeling that day... 

2. Suck-A-Fuck selfie advertising the best jumper purchase I have ever made featuring my favourite insult. Shout out to all Donnie Darko fans.

3. Mr Christmas Hog, one of my most recent illustrations for Christmas 2016.

4. Tea-Cup design, testing out ideas to create prints.

5. Blue hair selfie to accompany a great memory of eating waffles with a ton of melted Kinder Bueno, chocolate milkshakes and escaping the cold after a surprise night of Disney on Ice from the best boyfriend in the galaxy. Seriously, I got lucky with him!

6. A still unfinished illustration that I was testing out as a collection for different cities in the world. Started with Paris to see how it turned out, took a break and made a cat obviously...

7. A lush visit to York with my mam and sister. After wandering the streets we found an amazing little nerd shop named 'Give The Dog A Bone'. At the time the window featured a Harry Potter theme with a Borgin & Burke's stand.

8. My birthday present this year from the best boyfriend in the galaxy was a little collection of witchy goodies. I loved learning about wiccans, pagans and general magic stuff when I was younger, so this was such a thoughtful present.

9. And another still unfinished illustration, this time of a badger. I had to take breaks for the paint to dry and it ended up being pushed aside over moving home.

It makes me happy to see that my most recent illustrations have gained the most likes on my profile. People like my work, WOOO!!! Always nice to have a little bit of a confidence boost.

Also if you want to follow me on my Facebook or Instagram, my links are at the right side of the page (Cloee Scribbles/@cloeescribbles)

Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

It's December! Which means the tree is up, festive drinks are flowing and the advent calendars are being devoured. I am a massive Christmassy person, I love being festive, I prefer the cold and I love buying presents for everyone. Christmas would last at least 6 months if I had my way.
So now we're at the best part of the year I am feeling at my most motivated. Like I have said before I do work full time, so my initial plans of creating an illustration a day just isn't feasible unfortunately. However I am planning a few illustrations to pop out over this month. So the first of these is Mr Christmas Hog-

Hedgehogs are adorable, so why not incorporate a Christmas theme? I really enjoyed making him and it has spurred me on with more ideas for the rest of the month, so keep an eye out!

Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

Sup' New Chapter

I'M STARTING A NEW CHAPTER

Yes, you read that right. I am announcing a fresh start and it isn't even new years yet! Gasp!
I am aware I posted about doing the exact same thing some months ago, but in all honesty that didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped. It was a step forward in my life where I can at least pay my own bills, but the job in itself made me miserable and really wasn't for me. From there all my time was made up of either work, job hunting or catching up on binge watching TV shows and my creative motivation was really in the toilet.
BUT I finally found a better job, full time and in something I actually would love to do. It isn't art but at least it will make me happy and will be another little step in the right direction. Now that the job hunt is over and I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders, I can organise my time around moving forward with illustration. I plan on blogging a lot more, it gives me more time to think up more ideas and create. I have plans on opening my own Etsy store and learning how to sell my products and this will lead into a great start of that. Hopefully it wont be long until I actually figure out what I want to sell or what designs I want representing me.
This post is just an update and a look out to the future and what I'm planning for over the coming months, so keep your eyes peeled! But for any creatives out there stuck in a job when they would rather be broadening their careers, I know it sucks. It's a crap, scary and painfully slow process but just don't give up on it. It doesn't matter how small that step forward may look, you're still moving forward and that is great!

Thanks for reading!

Chloe x

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Black Lives Matter

There has been some awful things going on in America lately. It's at least once a week we wake up to news of another shooting/massacre, like the Orlando shooting, happening somewhere over there and it sadly becomes the norm. But in the last few days 2 separate videos have emerged showing the execution of 2 black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. No one is so blind not to think there is a problem with how other cultures are treated by certain officers, but the videos show the shocking truth to these situations.

Sadly after this, during peaceful protests in Dallas, 5 innocent police officers were gunned down. Seemingly this is in retaliation to the earlier attacks.

Browsing Facebook this morning I came across the quote "Fear and hatred will cease to exist when love is in abundance". This quote really puts the situation in perspective. There is very clearly a problem in America when it comes to guns and how the law treats people of colour, but fighting hate with hate wont solve any of these problems.

In these awful times the best thing that can be done is not let the hate overwhelm you, but never stop demanding answers and change. We need to strive to live in a world where you can be accepted, treated equally and not judged no matter your race, gender, sexual identity etc.

Thanks for reading!

Chloe x