march journal.
March has been one of those months where every time you think it can’t get any worse, it does. It’s felt like the longest 31 days in my entire life, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier for it to be over (even though April is not looking too good either). In this post, you’ll see some of the artwork I’ve made at University and hear about a massive change looming in the distance (more on that soon). Grab a glass of water and let’s catch up 💛
Things I’ve been feeling:
This month has been jam-packed with feelings, lots and lots of feelings.
Feeling #1: absolute gut-wrenching fear. My little pup, Emmy, became rather unwell, and after a lot of VERY expensive testing and procedures, she got diagnosed with Meningitis.
I was extremely lucky that I caught it early enough that she won’t have any long-term damage, but my golly it has been an absolute beast to try and treat. She’s improving little by little despite a few hiccups (many middle-of-the-night emergency vet visits) but full recovery is expected to take 6 months so we’re in it for the long haul.
Just before the surgery, you can tell how (not) excited I am
Feeling #2: teeth-grinding frustration towards my body and all its not-so-wonderful malfunctions. One of my Mirena’s (yep I’ve got two, more on that here) fell out the week after Emmy’s diagnosis which resulted in a rushed visit to my gynae and urgent surgery to remove and replace the two pesky IUDs. I had a tough and painful recovery but I’m feeling a lot better and hopefully won’t have to worry about any uterus stuff for another few years (providing no more Mirena’s trying to escape).
Feeling #3: sadness and grief. I’ve been trying to avoid talking about this because every time I do, I start to cry (hence why I haven’t shown my face on social media lately). But to cut a very long story somewhat short, I am moving out of my much-beloved home in northern Brisbane and moving into a cottage on a family’s farm in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
There were a lot of factors involved that led to this decision, the main one being the cost of living crisis, and the fact my rent is going up by $100 a week ($400 a month!!!!!!), has meant I’ve had to make this decision.
A little sneak peak of my soon-to-be new home.
It’s not a decision I necessarily wanted to make, but I think it will be the best for us moving forward, and it will allow us to save money during this challenging time. I are SO lucky to have the support of my family and incredibly privileged of having this as an option. I know the change is going to be hard, but once I’m settled I’m sure it will be worth it. The cottage is a beautiful 3 bedroom, old queenslander-style cottage with a glass-stained door overlooking a dam … it’s PERFECTION (I’ve added a sneak peek for you to enjoy!).
I’ve actually always wanted to live there when I’m old and grey, so I guess it’s just come a lot sooner than anticipated. I’m excited to get in there and make it mine!
Things I’ve been making:
With all that going on, I haven’t had a lot of time to do any making apart from my university and business work. At university, I am taking two classes, Typographic Design and 2D Art, which have been a lot of fun!
So far I’ve learned mono printing, etching, and lino printing, and got to play with a whole lot of new mediums. My classes are also in the newly renovated print-making studio, which is absolutely gorgeous (have a peep below)
Things I’ve been consuming:
Real Housewives has my heart: The entire week of my surgery recovery I had Real Housewives of New Jersey playing (sorry Marcus!) and I just LOVE IT! I recently finished Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and I’m about halfway through New Jersey. It’s got the perfect mix of rich-people-problems, family dynamics, and some really interesting storylines that make me forget about the whirlwind I’m currently caught up in. I know Real Housewives is an … acquired taste let’s just say, but my response to people who question why I love it so much is always “I like watching other people’s drama so I don’t have to focus on my own drama” and that pretty much sums it up!
Sketchbook tours on Youtube: Especially Sandi Hester’s. Her layering ability is incredible and she always provides some great tips. Plus, it’s the perfect thing to watch whilst drawing!
An experimental type designer: I’ve been knee-deep in type design thanks to my typography class, and during my research for an assignment I found the amazing work of Anna Mills through an interview she did with It’s Nice That (definitely read it if you’re a type design nerd!). Her approach and experimental process is incredibly inspiring and it honestly looks like she’s having so much fun whilst designing! I love the mix of analog and digital animation that bring her typefaces to life.
That’s all this month! I really hope you enjoyed spending some time with me and I truly appreciate your support! I’d love to hear about what you’ve been doing, making, consuming (or any other -ing) in the comments!
If you want to keep up with my every day, you can find me on Instagram (I promise I’m going to be on there a bit more regularly once things calm down) ❋
Love always,
Britt x