thoughts on 365 days

365 days is a long time 

Or is it?

365 days generates tears, laughter, mourning, despair, tragedy, happiness, love

A continuous cycle of three, six and five

All with the ability to rocket 

Or plummet

Each day either better than the last

Or worse 

365 days finishes with a bucketful of naive optimism

Hope

365 days is a year

And a year is a fraction of life

Tiny

Yet significant

If you make it so

Sometimes it is out of your control

And that's okay too

Just live this next year 

And ride it out because

365 days is a long time

I am aware that the above poem is not my best writing, however it is truthful. People do try to dive in to 2015 or 16 or 97 or whatever with large amounts of hope and desires. If little things have gone wrong in the previous year they are told to forget about it and make the following 365 days the best yet. In some retrospect, I do agree with this thinking. And in others I don't. Life can be uncontrollable. Death is a part of life, the same way sadness and laughter is. I have goals for the new year but if I don't achieve them I won't see it as a fail. Or a bad year. A bad 365 days. But as another year of wisdom. And life.

2014

// I created my instagram account (which now has 5.2k followers)

// This blog reached 100 followers!

// I collaborated with several companies

// I turned 16

// I completed several of my GCSE's

// I lost friends and developed new ones

// I had ups and downs

... I lived

2015 aspirations

// To get an A* in five of my GCSE's

// To host several giveaways

// To reach 10k on my instagram

// To get a job

// To go abroad

// To strengthen friendships and build new ones

// To find happiness in dark places

... to live

Here's to another 365 days of life,

-J

Christmas Wrapping + Free Printable

I absolutely adore this tree wrapping paper. When searching through Chloe's blog [x] and found this free template [x], I printed it on to kraft wrapping paper. I would honestly recommend printing black patterns on to kraft paper instead of buying pre-printed as it looks soooo professional and is significantly cheaper.

Using maps is another great alternative to wrapping paper- especially if it matches the present's theme.

The little gingerbread bracelet is from Luna and Leo Boutique. You can now get 10% off using the promo code "JESSIE10" - they have so many lovely chokers and festive bracelets so do check them out!

All the labels featured in this post can be found here [x] . I used a font from Fontspace and images
from my Pinterest [x]. Simply print them out on to card of your choice and volah!

I hope this post gave you some present wrapping ideas. Merry Christmas x

-J

*sorry for posting so close together; however, Christmas is imminent so this post couldn't wait*

Moonwaves

Jessie Wears

Coat- Charity Shop

Shoes- Berksha

Socks- Topshop

Two Piece- Moonwaves Clothing

Christmas is imminent and oh my am I excited. Wrapping up warm, songs, lights - everything! Recently, I received this lovely two piece from Moonwaves Clothing. It is such a fantastic addition to my wardrobe and works well for both opposing seasons (summer and winter). Also, I found this beautiful boyfriend coat in a charity shop. Wow. I had been scanning the shops left, right and centre for a beige felt jacket and this was just p e r f e c t. Such a bargain - £9 for a real cashmere coat! I would definitely recommend charity shops for good quality jackets during the winter months.

To top this whole outfit off, I opted for my new Berksha military boots. These are just so comfy and look great with EVERYTHING. Anyway, stay tuned for some more wintery posts coming your way and Merry Christmas xx

-J

a wonderfully christmassy collage

The christmas holidays are almost upon us! I cannot express my excitement for cosy evenings, trips to London and a lovely vacuum of spare time. Ahhhh. Only one more exam to go... In between History revision I decided to collect some of my favourite Pinterest festivities and arrange them in to a wonderfully christmassy collage. Like, dude, I need I get myself some brown wrapping paper.

I have such amazing (running out of adjectives here) ideas for this Blog including a GIVEAWAY very soon so keep updating your feeds. I hope you are all excited for Christmas and if you are religious, remember to reflect on what it is really about :)

Here's to two weeks of heaven,
J

christmas diy: recycled shelf tree

Hello! As promised, here is a long over due DIY for Painting The Ocean. And it is a Christmas one. This may not be the worlds' most polished  and pretty looking tree, however it sure is easy and it's recycled so smiles all round. Let's begin!

1// What you will need:

Basics
1 Pot
String
Cardboard
Stick
Pen
Scissors

Useful items
Washi Tape
Blue tack
Tissue

2// Draw about 5-7 squares on the cardboard. I wanted my squares to be uneven so I got a big marker pen and drew boxes varying in size. If you would prefer to have an even tree, use a ruler and carefully plan out the size of each square. Make sure the squares get increasingly smaller. 

3// Cut out the squares. Pretty self explanatory. 

4// Lay all the squares on top of each other (smallest at the top) and push a pin through them. You may have to push quite hard or split the pile in to two. I then used scissors to widen the hole.

5// Take the largest square and place it about mid-way down your stick. Then cut off about 15cm of string and start tying it to the stick, just below the large square. *Literally go to town wrapping around in a weird intricate circle of loops*

6// Start to place the squares evenly on the stick. Ensure you get smaller with each square. This part can be quite tricky so you may want to use blue tack or washi tape to keep the squares in place and balance them out. 

7// Lastly, place in a pot of your choice and you're done. I stuck my stick in the middle of a string ball to keep upright. I then put tissue around the sides.

I love how simplistic it looks compared to the usual Christmas tree! Plus, it is a great idea if you don't have a lot of space or find Christmas trees too cluttered. You can customise this DIY however you would like, whether that be with coloured paper, glitter, washi tape, a coloured stick- the possibilities are endless. This little guy looks great on my shelf above my desk. If you create your own recycled shelf tree, then please post a picture on instagram and use the hashtag #paintingtheoceandiy

Hope you're all feeling festive!
-J

Shadows and Fairy Lights

Hello! I am fully aware of my absence from blogging lately and I am also fully aware that this is not a hey-I'm-back-let's-have-a-blogging-schedule-post either. As you all know, my GCSE's are extremely time consuming. I have mock week in a fortnight and will be pretty much succumbed to doing work in my sleep at this rate :( Anyway, hopefully Christmas will provide lots of opportunities for exciting DIY's and fashion shoots.

All these photos were taken by my beautiful and talented friend Ciara. I feel positively christmassy looking at these and I hope you do to. Stay strong x

-J

pathetic apology, explanation and pointless ramble

Meh. Just meh. I'm sorry that this will just be a boring and ordinary sorry post saying sorry for why I haven't blogged. And I am truly sorry *woah Jess, stop with the sorry's*. I am currently in a slight existential crisis. I have a huge list inside my head of what I want to achieve this school year. Is it going to happen? Probably not. So here is a list of why I haven't been able to blog, my mis-match feelings at this precise time and promises for the future.

1// School. This is my last year of high school which means GCSE's. In four days I sit my Maths GCSE then in six days I sit my English. Like, where has my childhood gone. My brain has been occupied with revision and worry, which leaves little time for blog posts.

2// I am almost sixteen. Okay, I should be excited. Yet, I feel like I haven't done nearly half the stuff I should have done by now. I wanted to have a book published. To have kissed a boy. To have got a job. Cross, cross, cross. I went to a party last night and everyone was drunk and kissing. I just felt too scared. Too scared to jump on the fit boy's lap like EVERYONE else was doing. Too scared to play spin the bottle. I drunk but not to an extent to which I was drunk. Does this make me a bad teenager? I don't know, my head is messed up as if someone has scribbled over it in felt tip.

3// Promotions. Honestly, ever since I did my collaboration with DarkWoodJars and got sent the Triangl bikini, I thought I'd made it big. I constantly checked my email expecting waves of clothing stores begging for my address. Erm. That didn't happen. I did feel slightly deflated, yet I am just starting out. This blog has years to go.

4// Photography. The perks of my birthday coming soon means presents. Oh yes, a new camera. I cannot wait to start photographing life again and sharing it with all my lovely readers.

5// Summer. When my GCSE's are over and I have a piece of paper containing the grades that are 'the key to my future', I will make it my priority to get my blog on the rise upwards *is that even a saying?*.  I have so many ideas like a cheeky little jewellery shop, photo shoots and so much more - I just have to get this year out the way.

Sorry for this horribly boring post. It definitely helped me, writing out my current mental dysfunctions. Hopefully, see you soon but if not please appreciate it will be due to the amount of work suffocating me. Happy last weekend of half term if you are English :)

-J

Clara // Autumn Fashion #1

Clara // Autumn Fashion #1 by jessiemaisie 

Hello lovely people! Recently, I discovered the world of Polyvore and it is sooo amazing. This little outfit I put together this morning, when I should have been doing homework, is just perfect for autumn. I especially adore the fur gilet with cami and the dream catcher necklace. If you click on the image, you can check out my account and see where everything is from :)

I will forever be dreaming of sixth form days (in less than a year yay!) where I can sit in English wearing ripped skinnies and a floppy felt hat #toosophisticatedforyou

What is your favourite look?

-J

my favourite book// short story

Her book is open on page seventy-seven. I watched her as she turned the page. I watched her as she lifted off the seat and placed a scarf over her purse. I watched her as she walked past me to collect her drink. I walked over, myself, and read the title at the top of the page. It was slightly crusted with coffee stains, as if she brushed her fingers over it constantly. The bottom left corner was folded over, saving her place for when she returned.

My red pen is angled at the curve of her back. It is as though every inch of my being is gravitating towards her tumbling blonde hair. The kids' homework lies next to me, untouched, even though tomorrow will be met with a tirade of emails from parents. Private school is not at all private. I can't stop thinking about that book. The book that lies on my next-door pillow, that sits on the bathroom floor whilst I brush my teeth, is in my hand whilst I ignore the musings of the teaching staff. My favourite book.

So inevitably, as she drains her coffee and turns the page and smiles at the old guy coughing and laughs at her phone and writes in her notebook and gazes out the window and crosses and un-crosses her legs, she is my favourite person.

Hello! There you go. Another story that pretty much drained off my finger tips as I typed. I have decided to write stories based on a picture, whether that be from Tumblr or from a picture you guys can email me. Writing is my favourite thing in the world. I love to express myself and although my stories aren't always grammatically correct (which I often do on purpose to add character), I do very much they are enjoyable to read.

Happy October,

-J

hair inspiration// the chop

Despite my friends protesting, hours of pinterest(ing) and tumblr(ing) have inspired me to take the plunge (or should I say chop). I've had my hair long for ages now and am finding myself getting tired of excessive washing and hair literally getting e v e r y w h e r e . I'm not sure when this brave move will take place exactly but when it does there will be plenty of selfies .... or not if all goes terribly.

Do you like the chop?

-J

"Things never happen the same way Twice"

Mason Jars are probably my favourite 'instagram worthy' item at the moment. If I could, I would fill every crevice of my bedroom with jars filled with all the i-don't-know-where-to-put-it-but-it's-too-nice-to-throw away things. The Dark Wood Jar Company on Etsy sells the most beautiful jars with cute quotes from films and books. This Narnia one is so vintage that I just HAD to take some photos of it.

Also, the back of the jar has the Narnia lamp-post on it- little fandom girl inside me *screams*

" Things never happen the same way twice"

Jessie Wears

Bracelet// Camden Market

Jacket// Camden Market

Sunglasses// Camden Market

Top// Topshop

Thank you so much to my lovely friend Ciara for helping me take these photos. I am so happy with this jar and cannot wait to give it pride of place on my bookshelf. It's such a perfect size for drinking and with a cute Etsy straw one would literally be branded t u m b l r . So please do check out their website to view their multiple designs - I am obsessed with the Lord of The Rings one. Have a wonderful week at school...erm... a post about my trip to Camden will be coming soon.

- J

This is a sponsored post; however, all the words are my own.