Grandparents Are a Gift

Going viral is often reserved for cat videos and awkward moments. Being terrified of cats and often finding myself the centre of the awkward moment though, I don't pay too much attention to what's currently "breaking the internet". But, this week's viral story struck a chord with me. The tweet showing a picture of a grandfather eating enchiladas alone after his grandchildren didn't turn up for dinner broke my heart. Not only was the story symbolic of a grandparent's unconditional affection for his grandchildren, but it reminded me of all of the times I must have done the same thing to my grandparents without even realising.

 

 

Grandparents are a wonderful gift, which many of us, myself included, don't fully appreciate until it is too late. I have always loved my grandparents, enjoyed days out with them building sandcastles and flying kites at the seaside in Tenby and playing endless card games in their lounge. I had my first driving lesson behind the wheel of their golf buggy, watched my grandfather get told off for carving my name into the Eiffel Tower and became the designated tour guide around my university campus in Reading. Yet, I can't help but feel that I should have appreciated them more when I was younger and spent more time with them as I got older. I suppose I thought they were these infallible creatures, unsusceptible to real world illness and troubles, and childishly believed they would always be there to  make me laugh, cheer me up, spur me on and make me see myself in the best possible light: through their eyes.

 

 

In the last six months, this childish belief system was rocked when my step-grandfather passed away and my grandfather was taken seriously ill. All of a sudden the status quo which I depended upon was no longer to be found and my childhood abruptly ended then and there. My grandmothers who had always doted on me, brought me endless cups of tea with sugar and biasedly pointed out my likeness to Kate Middleton and Katy Perry were suddenly the ones in need of comfort and care.

I am so lucky to have spent 21 years with the most incredible grandparents a girl could wish for. I will be forever grateful that every single one of my grandparents got to see me graduate from university thanks to their belief, support and love. I also know that despite  everyone no longer being able to be with me in person, or no longer being able to express it, there is no doubt that these wonderful people are my biggest fans and have enough belief in me to be the Prime Minister, an astronaut, a brilliant historian and journalist or anything else I want to be. In this difficult time I know that I have spent fantastic times with all of my grandparents, but will always wish I could have spent more.

So phone your grandparents, ask them about their day, eat 50 enchiladas if you have to! I'm already looking forward to spending some quality time with Grandma One and Two this Easter break, eating welshcakes, hearing about their childhood adventures and generally having a good giggle. This is a time of transition and moving on with memories of a lovely childhood. But, in spite of the sadness, I am blessed to still be showered with grandparents' love and there's a strange comfort in knowing that somewhere kites are flying in Tenby and my name is still carved in the heart of the Eiffel Tower.

Making a Magazine: Urban Chic

As part of my Magazine Journalism course, I am currently working on creating a home décor and craft magazine with a team of five other girls. The magazine is  named Urban Chic and is aimed at  young women who are taking the UK's cities by storm, but also aspire to a relaxed and stylish home environment. We hope to create a fun, cool, quirky and fresh spin on current interior design looks by embracing the urban landscape and bringing our readers trends from around the globe, without the jet-setting price tag. Advice on how to make your living space your own and interviews with local crafters, interior designers and experts within the field will also be featured. We want to ensure that our readers can lust after New York apartments and Moroccan style, but are also provided practical guidance on how to achieve these looks on a budget, without having to delve into the 'Rainy Day Fund' or worry about squeezing their favourite Clinique products into their hand luggage.

 

It's incredible to not only aspire to work for a magazine one day, but to have the opportunity to make one as part of the course. The concept, title, inspiration, contacts and content have all been fostered by the team's hard work and ingenuity, and it's incredible to see the magazine come to life. This is the ideal publication for me, given that I have always been interested in interior design, have notebooks full of design doodles and always turn to my trusted art supply when I'm in need of a little 'me time'. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has also been a firm TV favourite, as my sister and I  had a post-school tradition of squeezing in an episode before returning to the homework station. We'd cry at the heart-breaking stories, get inspired by the community spirit, admire Ty's unwavering enthusiasm and always managed to muster a cheerleader spirit to shout "Move that bus" before the big reveal.

Our initial thoughts for the magazine was to make a younger sister title to the interior design and craft magazines  already on the market and provide an urban, industrial take on city living. We promised to stay away from the country rustic style of many of the mainstream home titles and the knitting obsession of the craft sector. We found that most of our young readers are more likely to be swimming around in student debt, rather that lounging by the pool at a Suffolk estate, they will be drinking the wine on offer at Tesco rather than indulging in the finest vino Italian vineyards can offer, and the closest they'll ever get to sewing is getting their eyebrows threaded. Not only does the Urban Chic team relate to these universal truths, we are catering for the women who belong to the 'urban cool', and  are trying to create home inspiration and DIY tips which are allies to their busy and bold lives. If you fancy an enchanting new light accessory, we'll show you how to achieve it with your old wine bottles, and we'll always try our best to ensure that all our crafty tips are doable even after a long day at the office, or the morning after a few  too many cocktails.

 

For our first issue, we have decided to focus on the Brooklyn loft style, showing you how you can achieve this eclectic and exciting look, without a Manhattan budget. The exposed bricks and haphazard styling creates a rugged look which nods towards an industrial heritage, but also embodies a cool, edgy, multi-cultural and stylish feel. If you're looking to steal the style of Dan Humphrey's loft from Gossip Girl, or Sherlock's brownstone from Elementary, we have it covered. Moroccan character is also going to be explored, as we delve into the main components which create this colourful and warm look from the African continent.

 

 

Creating this issue has been equally exciting and exhausting. My email inbox is overflowing and I've phoned, emailed and tweeted the interior design world twice over. I might never want to see another brick wall again and the word 'crafty' has taken on a whole different meaning, Yet, I now have enough home inspiration to fill a castle, I've slayed a few InDesign dragons, and the sense of accomplishment of seeing the first issue in print is the picture perfect ending to an incredible adventure.