The year of the baby.

Way back in January I wrote ‘2014 The Year of The Baby’ on a blackboard hanging in the kitchen of my brother’s house. His girlfriend was pregnant at the time and it felt pretty apt. We were all really excited to meet their baby and it was to be the first grandchild and niece or nephew for both families.

Lola was born at the beginning of may and we are all smitten. Being an aunt is pretty cute so far.

On Friday my second first-cousin-once-removed was born. That label is ridiculous, all that matters is she’s family and we love her. Her name is Sophie and she looks just like her dad.

This year has been so  goddamn full. It’s hard to believe that we’re not even halfway through yet. Somedays I feel like I’ve felt my quota of feelings for the year. Somedays I just want it be done. This year has been truly terrible. This year has been truly wonderful. I’ve been my saddest and my happiest too. It’s strange how that is. Everything is here and everything is gone.

I believe that tragedy has the ability to pull us apart or glue us together. I remember saying to my mum that I’d never felt such a strong sense of community as I had in the weeks after Cian died. Without knowing what to say or do or feel we all instinctively glued ourselves together. We stepped on toes and said the wrong things and cried in kitchens and ate a hell of a lot of cake. We hugged and fought and made up. One of my aunts said ‘we’re loving each other and killing each other’—but if that isn’t a pretty apt definition of family I don’t know what is.

I posted on instagram that it felt like my lot in life to be surrounded by babies. I really think it is. I have always been a baby person. Always happy to hang out with little cousins or friends babies. My mum once got me out of bed to hold a four month old for forty minutes while his mum was in a lesson. He was cute and I was happy to oblige. A friend in college told me that my face changes when I’m holding a baby, I look different and happy. I took that as a pretty huge compliment. Though I can’t comprehend how anyone’s face wouldn’t change when holding a teeny tiny squishy human. I will never understand how people don’t like babies. Holding a newborn is enough to make you stop and breathe and let go of whatever bullshit is going on.

Even if it is just for a moment. 

Life, lately.

Lily
Richard
A new favourite mug
Birthday presents
Almost finished this book
Ikea staple
E’s first ‘student meal’
Post
Seriously hipster shopping
The goods
Best bedhead in the world
Chit chats
What we do in lifts
Wedding best
Beautiful
Today. Wet. Wet. Wet.

summer

 (clockwise from top left; Eoin made Sangria last night (it was so delicious), I planted a whole world of vegetables this week, Emily’s baby toes asleep in the sun, Lily chillin’ in the shade—she can’t handle this heat!

Summer so far has been busy. So so busy. I feel like I haven’t sat down in a week! My mum is away and my brother has exams so I’m meant to be holding down the fort…while also doing my mum’s job, minding my cousin’s little baby, doing some design work and cooking and cleaning and washing and all that boring stuff too. The baby is cute but not really used to me yet so she’s only happy when we’re moving…so we do an awful lot of walking. Yesterday I worked out that I’d already walked over 12 and a half kilometers before lunch! Yikes! 

The weather has been crazy amazing, so uncharacteristically hot for May which has made working like a busy bee much nicer. I even got sun burned yesterday, oops. I must say it has been pretty cool to wear summer clothes (no jeans! no tights! no socks!) all week.

Hope you’ve all been enjoying this beautiful weather…I’m off to work, boo!

PS I have a whole roll of film that I haven’t got a chance to develop yet, so that must mean I’m suuuuper busy, it’s driving me nuts not seeing the photos.

Tomorrow

…I am going to collect my freshly scanned pictures from the shop!

insta-germany

I didn’t blog this week (or last week really…oops!) because Richard and I went to Berlin! As you can imagine it was amazing and as I did not at all imagine it was freeezing. So freezing I had to buy a coat. I haven’t got around to developing my rolls of film yet but be prepared for an onslaught of Germany photos and stories next week friends! For the mean time here’s some uber hipster instagrammy shizz (we had to fit in, Berlin is like hipster capital dontcha know?!).

From top to bottom, left to right;
-Packing, I love packing, this time (unlike most times) I brought too much stuff!
-Some lovely things I bought on the trip, including some cool washi tape, more film, handcream and the chewing gum I used to chew when I little.
-The bubblegum pink cafe we ate lunch in one day in Mitte; so cheap and so delicious.
-The cardigan (and drawing of the cardigan) that I had to buy in H&M on day two because I was so cold.
-Some amazing lindt-balls-come-chocolate-bars.
-Cameras galore, Richard bought me the polaroid as our third-aversary present.
-WE FOUND THE AUTOMAT! Needless to say I was uber excited and made us take two strips of photos!
-And lastly this little baby was yellow and shiny and SO beautiful and she had a note on her windscreen that said ‘I am very loved and well looked after please don’t do anything to hurt me’. Ha!

I can’t wait to see how our negatives turn out and share the rest of our black-and-white Berlin film photos with you. Enjoy your weekend everybody x

yesterday

Richard “I don't really like Valentine's day. Can we just have Clío and Richard day?”

Me “OK” 

We didn't do anything special, I made Richard a disaster-pie (as in it was kind of a disaster) and he got me flowers, a city guide to Berlin AND a t-shirt with Elmo on it. Then we all got Thai food and watched the proposal special of Don't Tell the Bride  followed by Suits.

(It’s not every day where one gets flowers like that though!)

currently on my mind

this dog and having to walk her on this horrible rainy grey day:

Lately

 

1. My new nail varnish. It's a beaut.

2. Drawing

3. We booked flights to Berlin! Couldn't be more excited... now hurry up April!

4. This is my favourite mug. Ever. It's weird how much I love it and now I'm scared I'll break it. 

5. I bought red jeans & I LOVE them!

6. Last Friday's hot chocolate and toast, the best after college treat.

7. First freelance wedding invitations. SO exciting. I'll be posting about them soon :)

8. Dog friend.

9. Lily freaking out because her ball went in her water.

10. My friends co-ordinate their outfits. (accidentally?)

11. Sorting out my photos.

12, 13, 16 & 18. Monica's Birthday

14. When I saw this Marmite flavoured chocolate I had to buy it for Richard. And it was weirdly delicious!

15. Drawing.

17. Waiting so patiently for dinner, ie the only time she's actually still. 

19, 20 & 21 A lunch date at Mayfield :)

Have a lovely weekend friends. 

I'm going on a boxer date with a friend and her dog Denzel, practicing driving and spending lots of time with my lovely boyfriend :) What are you guys up to? x

Under the weather

Today I am sick. 

And am feeling a little bit sorry for myself;

Like this:

But today is also my mum's birthday so..

 

//Happy Birthday Monica! I Love you!//

(I'm hoping tomorrow will be less icky and more lovely folks, *think healthy thoughts)

A little preview of preparations for The National Crafts Fair... which starts tomorrow!!!

 I'm sooo tired but really the hard work hasn't even begun yet ... bed early tonight friends :)

a list as long as my arm

To Do:

Count cards.

Order more cards to be printed.

Order more envelopes and cello bags.

Wait for cards to arrive.

Get impatient.

Rejoice when they arrive.

Fold, envelope and pack into cello bags.

Figure out a way of packaging packs of cards and gift tags.

Make wrapping paper.

Panic about not having enough done.

Knit more rectangles.

Make said 'more rectangles' into owls.

Panic again. 

That's as far as I can get in my head so far. It's all too exhausting to think about really. 

I need to sleep. Or go here:

Top Illustration by the Amazing Andrew Wan.

Beautiful Picture by Smallest Things.

falalalalol

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I mean, yesterday I bought 72 Candy Canes...in preparation for
The National Crafts & Design Fair that I'll have a stall at in 2 weeks and 1 day! 

Very Exciting & VERY Busy!

pie

Last weekend I went away with my boyfriend and his scout leader friends. I had met a couple of them before and it was awwwkward (I felt sick, they were drunk and I was being a weird shy freak) so while waiting to be picked up on Friday I was terrified. I'm not very good at new experiences sometimes. I kind of prefer to bury my little head under my duvet and stay warm and comfy instead of getting out there. But I went and it was the BEST. I really had nothing to worry about.

Lots of alcohol was drunk, lots of food was eaten and there was a certain 'disco' where we were the only ones there (like this except it was literally just us). I took NO photos. Partly because on day one I didn't know the dudes and didn't want to be shoving my camera in their freaked out faces and partly cause I was just having too much fun.

No photos make a boring blog though. So I give you this: after travelling for hours in a balloon filled car while seriously exhausted and hungover I arrived home to this beauty:

 

(credit to my bro for baking the pie!)

infographic

 

My infographic turned out less info and a bit more like a giant illustrative doodle (although there is plenty of facts squished in there too!). In school I used to make big pictures like this to help me study.  

The above photos show the process from start to finish. I really enjoyed this project and wish I'd had more time to do it, however I am happy with what I achieved in the given time. 

(click the photos to see them up close; taken using the app Instagram)

twenty

I had such a lovely birthday.

It didn't rain, I went for a beautiful walk and had a delicious lunch and dinner out .

AND I got the best presents! 

(none from my silly list...but soo much better)

1. I won a prize from Keep Sketch and it arrived, like a present, in the post yesterday!
2. Waiting for a walk.
3. Presents in the boot!
4. Birthday roses.
5 & 6. My walking buddies

7. Birthday Walk.
8. Pre-dinner cheese and crackers.
9. My birthday 'candle'.
10. BOO!
11. Keep Sketch Birthday Badge.
12. Snooze time.

P.S If you dudes at Keep Sketch are reading this, and let's face it, you're probably not...but you're probably thinking 'hey, she hasn't even given us any money yet!? And we give her free stuff!? Well lovely people I will be making a donation tomorrow, I lost my card, I can't wait to get my hands on those notebooks! And everybody else should get out there and fund it too. It's cool and Irish and everybody needs more notebooks. Don't they?

happy feet

My boyfriend's little sister bought me these because she saw them and thought 'Clio has to have these!'

What a cutie pie.

Thank You Louise x

one of those posts

 This week I was super busy minding kiddos all day every day which was fun but also so tiring.

(photos from Richard's itouch by Instagram)

Damn I want an iphone.