Interior Designer?

As I you probably know I am graduating in 4 months. I can't even believe I am writing that. It's scary. Like I'm-about-to-pee-in-my-pants scary. I hated law school, but I went for it you know. I just didn't give up to then throw myself into some random degree just because I didn't want to do law anymore. I made a decision in my last year at school, the decision to move to England, to go to University and study Law. So that's what I did for the past 3 years.  I regret nothing. It has been such a journey and enriching experience. I have grown up so much from it, and I've become the person I am today. Ok at times I hated myself for doing this,  and going through the amount of work for all this time, because I knew from the end of my first term, in my first year, that Law just wasn't my thing, but I was strong and did my best.

Here I am today, about to pass my exams (in may) and finally graduate with a Law degree. I have been thinking about what comes next for months now, and for all this time I had no idea what I wanted to do, and no clue where I was going, but I think I have finally found something I am passionate about, something that inspires me and something that I can see myself doing as a career.

That thing being Interior Design. You might wonder, how can she jump from Law to Interior Design? Well the appropriate question I think would be why did she do Law in the first place?

Because you would know that I am creative and artistic not strict and boring (not that all lawyers are... but you know you get the idea). Since last summer that idea of becoming an interior designer has been at the back of my mind, I kept it quiet, because you know if I did say it out loud, it would make it real. And most of all I didn't want to disapoint my parents by abandoning Law. But that idea was still at the back of my mind  after Christmas, so I decided to tell my mum about it, and obviously she didn't object and was happy that I found something that I liked. I wasn't so sure about how my dad would react, because he was always the one encouraging me to continue Law after University, to try it out and see for myself. I know he'll support me whatever I decide to do, but I felt a little bit guilty for not using my law degree as such after all this money he had spent on it. I still haven't had a proper conversation with him about it, but I keep mentioning it and he doesn't seem to object. Although I know it isn't a matter of if they object or not because I am an adult and I can make my own decisions, but it is more a matter of not wanting to disapoint them, them and the rest of my family.

I am happy with my decision. My plan isn't very clear yet, because I don't want to start in september, as it is a little too early after graduation and most application deadlines were in January. I am looking for an Interior Design course in London, one that could possibly start next January. But I can only find ones that start in september for now. So I'll keep on looking, and I am going to open days in march to visit the schools.

It's a mix of emotions at the moment, very excited and impatient to start, but a little petrified and also frustrated with all this research. I just wish that one perfect school, that one perfect course could just jump at me. It would be a lot easier: 

Sorry this is like an essay. But I just had to let it all out. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

New Family Member

Let me introduce you to HECTOR! 

Hector's mum

Hector's brothers and sister on top of their auntie.

Elisa and Hector

He is the latest addition to our family! And look at that cute face? He is a 2 months old chocolate Labrador. Everytime I look at these pictures, my sister sent me yesterday, I just want to hug my computer. 

Since my dog Mindy died last year, we just knew we wouldn't wait too long to get a new dog. My parents and Elisa were supposed to only visit him on friday, and they had planned to go and see other dogs. But they fell in love, and I don't blame them. I mean I haven't even met that cutie pie and I'm already crazy in love with him!

We skyped twice since his arrival at my house in France. I couldn't stop watching him, I didn't care what was going on I just wanted Elisa to follow him around the house with the ipad so I could just watch him be. I just CANNOT wait until I go back home in a month. So I can cuddle him all day long and play for endless hours.

In between me and you I am very jealous of my sister who gets to spend her days with him. (Elisa if you read this. I hate you a little bit.) Filou my other dog has been a little bit skeptic since Hector's arrival, but he is starting to warm up to him. Apparently today, after they all went on a walk, Filou let Hector lie down with him in his bed. HOW ADORABLE!!!! The 3 cats, are not so sure about this little creature invading their space, but it won't be long until they are all best friends forever.

A Banana Pancakes Kind of Day

This morning was pure bliss. Stayed in bed until 10:30, came down to the kitchen and made these.

Image source: How Sweet It is

And let me tell you one thing. It was like having cake but for breakfast. I mean what else could you ask for?

They taste absolutely fantastic. I had mine with butter, and Golden Syrup. But if you check the recipe you can make a Vanilla Maple Glaze to go with it...Go check it out on the lovely blog called How Sweet It is. And make them tomorrow morning. You can thank me later. Or actually thank Jessica for her wonderful recipe.

I had this salad for lunch last tuesday before I had to stop eating bread, and I just wish I could have it again. But I can't eat bread anymore, and I have no prawns left in my freezer. So I guess it'll be for another day...

It was so yummy, I cooked the prawns in garlic and butter, made a salad with rocket and iceberg lettuce, almonds, hazelnuts, tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Had the prawns on top, with this amazing bread, and blue cheese. 

The sun is finally showing it's lovely face since yesterday, and it now feels like spring is finally arriving! I want  to wear dresses, and take my boots and winter coat off, I want to buy tons of flowers and feel warm again, after months of grey and cold.

I went to M&S yesterday, and wanted to buy all their flowers! aren't they beautiful? They make me happy.
I'm now off to the gym for a swim, I need to work this body before it has to get rid of all the winter layers, and walk around in a bikini. I hope you have a nice day!

Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

Awkward:

-Realising after all these weeks, that the sound of 'rain' I could hear early in the morning is actually.. my fridge. In the past few weeks I could hear something like the sound of raindrops on the roof, and always felt a bit sad/depressed that it was once again raining that day, and so surprised when I actually got out of bed, openned the curtains and it was not only NOT raining, but actually sunny. 

- Meaning to go to the gym, everyday this week, and always finding a silly excuse. aka rain, too late, too early, just had a shower... list goes on.

- Spending a good 20 minutes looking for a room where my Skills of Argument class takes place (it changed again). Ending up being 20 minutes late, not actually finding the room and deciding that I'd better go to the library instead.

- Getting addicted to this game on my itouch called 'Smurfs village'. I know shame on me. I'm nearly 21 and shouldn't really be spending my spare time cropping carrots in a virtual village occupied by little blue creatures. I blame it on my friend Ellen, she introduced it to me, she has it on her ipad and was always talking about the fact that it was time to crop her peas and tomatoes. yes oh m g .

- My sleeping pattern at the moment. it's ridiculous. I always feel tired rather early, around 7/8 pm, and decide to fight it, and end up not being able to sleep until 1 in the morning. that's one cranky Tania in the morning. need to sort. it. out.

Awesome:

- THIS post on this irresistible blog I discovered yesterday called Happy Brittany . She sees life in a wonderful way, and has so many advice to better yourself and live a happy and simple life. Not to mention she is super clever and absolutely stunning ( she was Miss new Mexico USA 2011). I have now created my stackable resolutions for 2012. 2 months into it. but hey it's never too late!

- 5 days away from seeing my dad in London, coming for the concert. I'm a little homesick at the moment.. so I am very excited!

- A month away from Easter Break!!!!!! (4 little weeks!!! yes yes yes!) Flight back to France is already booked !

- My parents are going to buy a PUPPY! They are visiting this adorable brown labrador puppy tomorrow!! I hope they like him and that he becomes part of the family. (knowing my mum and sister, there is no way they won't like him. they already have names for him...)

- Feeling a lot healthier not eating bread! I eat a lot more veggies than I would if I didn't give up bread for Lent. I had porridge for breakfast, a rocket salad with hazelnuts, almonds, tomatoes and blue cheese for lunch, fishcakes and more salad for dinner. I sipped on green tea all day, and I feel GOOD.

- Planning a familly holiday. To either Sicily or Spain during Easter Break. Sun!!!

Pancakes Day

Picture taken from the fabulous blog What Katie Ate. Check it out! (The recipe to reproduce  that beauty is in there! go!)

This is dedication, I am writting this post from my itouch (as my computer had two blackouts in the space of 5 minutes..not a good sign)!

I hope you all had a nice day filled with pancakes! Mine was a bit dreadfull at first as I spent it on campus, in the library or in one of my classes. But it ended nicely with an all crepes dinner! We started with savoury ones, and finished with maple syrup and nutella (not at the same time of course!)

My breadless Lent starts tomorrow, and I'm freaking out slightly... you should have heard my mum's reaction on skype earlier on, it sounded like "Are you being serious?! What are you going to eat??" That woman knows me well.

Monday blah

I would be lying if I said I like mondays. They just ruin the fun. They just mean that the weekend is over, that you have to go back to work, and you can't sleep in. 

I would be lying if I said today was a good day. Receiving huge bills, first thing in the morning, just ain't my thing.

I would be lying if I said that I am really motivated. Nothing helps me get my motivation back, not even 2 hot chocolates.

I would be lying if I said I'm loving the weather right now. Because really I hate it. i can't stand this grey sky, the cold and the humidity. I want summer, bikinis, sun, and lazy afternoons by the pool.

I would be lying if I said I've done a lot of work. It takes me so long to read one page. I really cannot wait to finish university. Law is a pain in the a**.

Although I wouldn't be lying if I said that I am kind of petrified at the idea of graduating and starting a new chapter in my life.

I wouldn't be lying either if I told you that the thought of quitting University has crossed my mind several times in the past month. 

But hey! Life goes on. I think Easter break is needed now. I'm feeling a little bit down, a little bit homesick, a little bit fed up with winter, a little bit blah.

Bread and Vogue

After writting you an essay about bread. I went out and well bought... bread. And Vogue. (and maybe rocket, tomatoes and Saint Agur). Best way to end half term break : bubble bath, tikka massala with the besties and Vogue in bed. Maybe I haven't done enough work, but I had a blast. I can start worrying about homework on Monday.. yes? Ok cool. I hope you had a lovely weekend.

Breadless for Lent

Lent is just around the corner, (next wednesday to be exact), so I'm giving something yummy up. I am not a particularly religious person, but I use Lent as a sort of challenge to myself. Yes I could probably do it anytime of the year, but Lent is a good excuse to give something up for 40 days.

Last year I gave up meat. At first I thought it would be impossible. Not that I am a carnivore and only eat meat all day long, but because you don't realise how meat is everywhere! And it's so easy to just pick up a ham sandwhich, or fry some bacon for breakfast, and eat a roasted chicken for dinner, without having to think, oh can I eat this? or can I eat that? I guess as a vegetarian, and that's what I discovered after a few weeks into it, that not eating meat is a habit, you just don't have to think about it anymore, that's what you do. You just eat veggies, and you're a happy person. But I grew up eating meat (and everything else of course) so giving it up for 40 days was a real challenge. I had to change my shopping habits, I had to substitute meat with other things (although I still continued to eat fish. I was a pescatarian for 40 days), and I really had to think before putting any food in my mouth. I didn't want to make any mistakes, and in the first few days I nearly did, several times. Who thought quiche Lorraine had bacon in it? Or that spaguetti Bolognese had mince in it. Duh. Well it's that kind of thing you don't really think about when it's natural for you to eat meat. I'm starting to ramble.

Anyway the point is this year, me and my housemates have decided to give up BREAD. Yep, my one and only love. Bread. Thinking about it, I do eat way too much bread, because it's just easy to have toast in the morning, make a sandwhich for lunch and snack on bread and butter when I'm starving before dinner. And I mean I'm FRENCH at the end of the day (well half but my love for bread is totally french). Bread has such an important place in my kitchen, and in my heart. The smell of bread cooking in the oven is one of my favourite and could make me do anything.

So as you probably guessed this is not gonna be an easy one. 40 days. I'm freaking out already, and from now until tuesday night I'm only eating bread. (I'm actually going to M&S in a minute to buy myself a really nice loaf before I'm going on bread rehab).

But I know it'll be good for me, eating too much bread is bad for your health, and it makes you bloated and tired. If you want me to get a bit more scientific on the subject, well eating too much bread (white bread in particular or anything made out of refined white flour) causes "sugars to be released quickly into the bloodstream. This causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels which triggers a similarly rapid release of the body’s own sugar regulating hormone, insulin." If you want to learn more about it go there.

To help me found ideas for lunches, especially, because that's when bread comes in handy, I made a Pinterest board called Breadless for Lent. Wish me luck!

Are you giving anything up for Lent?

My babies

Is it bad if I say that I want a baby. Like right now? I mean I've always wanted children. I know I'll be good at that job. I obviously have no idea what to expect, and what it actually means. But you know... I just want a baby. I'm only 21 and haven't even finished University, so there is no way I'll have one anytime soon. I know that. But it doesn't change the fact that I want a baby. have I said it enough? Maybe someone give me a baby? Just kidding. Ok maybe not. Maybe we can share? Part-time?

Today my housemate's little twin sisters came over to our house. We spend the day running around, playing hide and seek, making play doh pizzas, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows, taking pictures in the park, and building a cocoon bed in the living room. They are spending the night with us and leaving tomorrow morning. They are the cutest. I mean identical twin sisters! I came down in the living room tonight, after leaving them and Anni (my housemate) in front of a film, to skype a friend upstairs, and that's what I found (see picture). I mean COME ON. If you don't think that's cute, well you have no heart. And don't blame it on my very bad quality picture. They were all asleep and I just wanted to cuddle them and keep them forever. Maybe I'll ask their parents tomorrow, they might give me a deal.

Anyway the point is, today I realised that I will definitely have children. Sooner than later.

Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

Awkward:
- Valentines Day when being single. need I say more?
- Ordering Dominos on the 14th of February...
- The look on the delivery guy's face. Probably thought 'oh dear poor girl, single on Valentines Day, she's gonna get fat..' Yep and so WHAT?! It was yummy.
- All the old couples in the cinema yesterday when we went to watch Shame. Looking away, slightly embarassed, not looking very comfortable at all. Well neither was I. Felt like leaving the room several times... (has anyone seen it? Because I'm not a fan. Although artistically speaking maybe, and the actors were really good. But hummm a little too visual for me.)
- Eating most of my Pick&Mix sweets before the film started.
- Dreaming about being pregnant. and giving birth. several times. Should I be worried? What is my subconscious trying to tell me..?!!

Awesome:
- Skyping with my cats. (I sounds like an old lady) My mum was holding the Ipad in front of Billy and Berlioz, and there was me talking to them in my pet voice. (maybe I should move that to awkward?)
- Receiving a parcel from home, with new clothes I ordered just before I left France, and little presents my mum added in there. I love receiving mail!
- Starting my homework a week in advance. A whole WEEK! People that's some kind of miracle.
- My weekend in London with my family. I love them so much! So much baking and cooking went down. That's all you need to make a happy Tania.
- Going for a girl's night out on monday night. We had a laugh. Love those girls (see picture). They are like adopted sisters. if you could adopt sisters yourself... (just ignore that. that's just weird.)

London, squirrels, sushis, cupcakes and passport.

I spent last weekend in London for my little cousin's birthday. We had a nice brunch on sunday, then went for a walk around the city, fed some squirrels in Hide Park, came back home, baked red velvet cupcakes with a vanilla frosting. We drank a lot of tea, watched a few films and snuggled up on the sofa. Then it was time for dinner, we were all feeling a little adventurous, so we made sushis! It was my first time making them. And let me tell you one thing. I'm pretty sure I was Japanese in a past life. They were divine! I need to buy myself a set so I can do them at home.

On monday morning before taking the train back, I went to the French Consulat to get my passport renewed. It took literely 10 minutes... Why did they not see me a month ago?! I missed my skiing holiday because of them... I wasn't a happy bunny. But in 10 days I'll be able to leave the country... yay! 

I had such a nice weekend, I really needed some family time. It is half term over here, so most of my friends are going home for a little while, or their family comes over to visit, I felt a little homesick! But my cousins are my second family here, I'm so glad to have them and to be so close to them. I am not seeing my parents and little sister until April... but my dad is coming over at the end of the month. I bought him a ticket to see Kathleen Edwards in concert for christmas! It'll be just before my birthday! Perfect timing. I'm now off to prepare chicken tikka masala, before me and my housemate go to the cinema to see Shame. 

Happy Valentines Day!

If I had a nice date I would wear something like this : 

Or maybe this: 

My hair would probably look like that:

Or if I magically had long hair, it might look like this:

My make-up would be light and natural, with bright lips, like this:

or like that:

We would be staying in the Four Seasons in Thailand:

Or even stay in our garden for a movie night (I'm not fussy) :

We would have had Red Velvet Pancakes for breakfast, in bed of course:

This is what our breakfast table would look like (spot the hot chocolate):

We would eat these all day long:

We could go on a stroll on the beach:

Have a romantic bath:

Dance in the kitchen:

And cuddle in bed all day:

...

But my night will most likely look like this:

ps: but that's a good thing right? Because it means I'll end up with one of them:

<3 HAPPY VALENTINES DAY DARLINGS <3

[All pictures taken from my Pinterest and Tumblr.]