A SUNNY SUNDAY WALK

A few photographs I took whilst out walking the dog last Sunday.

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DIY NAIL AND STRING LETTERING

A quick tutorial to a DIY that can a little bit of time and patience to complete, but once done you'll be very please with the results. I've seen these sorts of designs circulating Pinterest a lot, so thought I'd give it a go myself. You don't just have to do letters you can do anything from quotes to maps of your favourite places.

You'll need:
- String/Cotton - I chose three shades of blue to create an ombre effect but you can go for whatever colours or effect you want to go for.
- Nails (I got mine off eBay)
- Design
- A4 Cork board (again I got mine from eBay)

1. Place your design on the cork board and place the nails with even spacing around the whole of the design.
2. Once you've outlined the entire design you can now remove the paper template. (I'd  really recommend removing the paper before placing the string onto the design, as I had a lot of trouble removing it once I'd completely covered it all!)
3. Take your darkest thread, and starting on one of the nails nearest the top, tie a knot to secure it. Once you've done that you can then start randomly weaving it all around the nails in anyway you like. When you get to the end of your piece of string, simply knot it off and begin again.
4. Repeat step 3 with your second colour, and then your third, until the design is completely finished.
5. Once you've completely covered the whole of the nails, that it's the design is finished!

Let me know what you think of this DIY by leaving a comment of tweeting me @afloralcrown!

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WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR #2

This is my second post all about the Warner Bros. Studio Tour - Harry Potter, make to check the first one out if you haven't already. 

Split across two sound stages, the second sound stage contains a lot more of a behind the scenes into the way things were created for the movies. You get the chance to look at models, prosthetics, animatronics and so much more. One of my favourite things to look at were the blue prints from the art/design department. Hundreds of blue prints were created for a whole range of items for the movies. Some of them are shown on the walls such as blue prints for bridges, sets and even some showing designs for broomsticks. This was one of the highlights for me from the tour as it shows just the incredible amount of detail that goes into every aspect of creating a piece for the film.

The other thing that blew me away was the final section of the tour, getting to see Hogwarts Castle itself. The amount of detail on this model is absolutely incredible. I can't put into words just how spectacular this model really is. The fact that I was standing in front of thee Hogwarts Castle was a pretty amazing experience. Not only that but also the idea that you can just imagine the amount of time, effort and dedication that people put into creating such a huge model is something pretty amazing. For me, this was one of the most interesting sections of the tour. Included in this room were screens allowing you a closer look at the castle, and all the tiny details that are included, as well as videos showing how it was used for filming during the movies.

If you're a die-hard fan of the series or just wanting to take a behind the scenes look at one of the biggest movie franchises, then I'd recommend looking into these studio tours.
Let me know if you've been before and your thoughts or if you're planning on going at all. I'd also love to know - if you could take a look behind the scenes at any movie out there, which one would it be? Feel free to tweet me @afloralcrown to let me know! 

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SO, I RAN A HALF MARATHON...

This post is slightly over due...

Back at the end of April I ran my first half marathon. I signed up for it in October 2013 and the time finally came on an overcast Sunday morning at 9 to start the race. When I woke up that morning I was slightly nervous, yet excited and ready to go. Throughout my training the one thought I've had was, no matter what happens or what time I complete it in, I know I can do it.

As the klaxon sounded and the crowd started to move I hit play on my iPod and set off. The first couple of miles were nice, settling into a pace and enjoying the experience. Miles 5-9 were good, my pace was steady and I felt confident. Although hilly in some parts of this section, overall it was a nice part of the course. The hardest part started to begin for me around miles 10-12. I never hit "the wall" at any point but it definitely got tougher in this section of the race. You know the finish line is approaching but it's not coming as quickly as you hoped. After I reached the 12 mile marker I knew I was coming to the end. I was excited for the fact I had nearly completed the race but knew I still hadn't reached the end just yet.

The final climb to the finish was actually up a hill, something I was prepared for but not something I was particularly looking forward to running up after 12 miles. As the hill evened out and I turned the corner to run  the final 200 or so metres, I sprinted. With the crowds surrounding the final leg and the finish line finally in sight I couldn't not set off into a sprint. As I looked up at the time I was greeted with mixed emotions. I had run the race slightly slower that I wanted to, but it has given me a great place to start and a time to beat on my next half marathon.

I've always loved running but this year I've definitely caught the running bug. Two weeks after I ran my half marathon I ran the We Own The Night 10k. I'm hoping to get one more organised run in before the year is up (plenty of time) but if not I've already got an ever growing list of events that I really want to go for next year. This includes two half marathons, two 10ks and a potential duathlon. A full marathon is something that I've always wanted to do since I was young but I'm not sure if the 26.2 miles is something I'm 100% ready for just yet.

I'd love to know if you've have any race experiences whether it's a 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon or even more. Let me know or tweet me @afloralcrown!

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