Brussels

I went to the Christmas Markets in Brussels at the beginning of December and I came across this bizarre merry go round ride and just had to take a picture. It got the creative juices flowing because all I saw was the mixture of childhood happiness and twisted darkness.

Geek chic for life

'Peanuts' nails

My sister sent these nail stickers over from Japan for my Christmas presents, apparently it's Snoopy's girlfriend?

New Years Resolutions

The first page in my scrapbook.

I have battled with mental illness for nearly all my life, specifically anorexia nervosa, clinical depression, anxiety and avoidant personality disorder.
This year I decided to make my New Years Resolutions little steps forward in my life, not committing to full recovery or setting unrealistic goals.
I like things to be tidy and neat, I tend to get more stressed and anxious when there is mess. A tidy room, a tidy mind and all of that. However, my body dysmorphia and anorexic thoughts lead to me changing outfits whilst rushing to lead the house and I end up feeling stressed and fat and my room ends up with clothes thrown everywhere and it's a vicious circle of stress, so my resolution is to wear one outfit a day, I'll think about it carefully and put it on and that is it.

My second resolution is way more important than it sounds. Putting my hand infront of my mouth is a safety behaviour I often use when I am feeling anxious or exposed but it gets in the way, particularly in therapy and it makes it difficult for people to hear me. I also think it makes me look a bit silly, and not a sensible and responsible young woman. I'm not saying I'm never putting my hand infront of my mouth ever again, I know it will be a hard habit to beat but by the end of 2014 I hope to have beaten this habit and have better body image.

Scrapbook

I am totally rubbish at keeping diaries, if I get busy or go away and miss a day or two my perfectionist qualities lead to me giving up on it completely and throwing it away but I think it is good to document things, particularly when suffering from mental illness, so that you can look back on the year and see achievements. This year, instead of a diary I've decided to scrapbook as and when things happen and I get time and hopefully next New Years Eve I will look at it and see how far I've come.

A scrumptious Christmas scene

At an art group I go to, I lead a session on food art. I designed this Christmas scene and the rest of the group helped to create it.
We had a house made out of kit kats with a matchmaker roof and a pretzel wreath on the door.
A ginger reindeer with a glace cherry nose.
A bread Christmas tree decorated with writing icing, glitter and topped with a chocolate star.
Cola cube presents with writing icing ribbon.
A flump path.
Marshmallow snowmen with strawberry lace arms and a liquorice allsort hat.
Icing sugar and edible glitter snow and candy cane lampposts.

A little introduction

Hi,

I'm Claire and I love all things creative and arty from writing and baking to photography, painting and scrapbooking.

Creativity keeps me going as I battle with my mental illnesses.

This is my blog to show who I am and not for my illnesses to define me.