A flower for a flower

Flowers make me happy

Which is probably not surprising because blooms are in my blood. My mum is a florist and has written six books about flower shops. I love the smell of flower shops - the top notes of the flowers but also the base of wet oasis and foliage. I wish I could bottle that smell.

Having flowers in my flat feels like a sweet little luxury and always makes me smile. Flowers are perhaps most often associated with anniversaries or Valentine's or birthdays, but I think everyone should buy themselves flowers from time to time. It's lovely to get them from someone else, but buying flowers for yourself is like telling yourself "you are worth roses." And everyone should feel they deserve a big fat bunch of roses every now and then.

I bought myself this pink bunch last week and they are just starting to turn - but that's actually how I like them best. The petals look like puffy petticoats and as they start to drop they crinkle like paper.

Whether it's buying flowers or watching guilty pleasure TV or eating creme eggs, I am a great believer in doing the things that make you happy. Life is short so it might as well be filled with flowers.



Libby

Something's Gotta Give

I need to take a feather duster to this blog it has been so long. I would apologise, but in the wise words of the title of a film ‘Something’s Gotta Give’.

Things I have been doing:

- Filming and editing my final project: a film about unpaid internships in the fashion industry. One of the best things about my project has been the amazing people I have met along the way, from interns to the Deputy Editor of Elle magazine who I interviewed a couple of weeks ago.

A screenshot from my film - me at London Fashion Week

- Finishing at Intern Aware: I worked for 3 months with the campaign group Intern Aware, but have now finished to focus on the last slog of my degree. It was an amazing experience and I feel very proud of their recent press coverage (especially as I helped put together ‘the list’).

A screenshot from my film

-Talking on Radio Five Live about unpaid internships: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rr7h1 (1.23 onwards. Only very short but pleased to have been able to speak on behalf on unpaid interns.)

- Reading: My most recent read was ‘Lean In’ by Sheryl Sandberg, a sort of ‘life and business guide’ by Facebook’s feminist COO. It has been met with mixed reviews, but having devoured the book cover to cover I personally don’t see how anyone who has actually read it could find it anything but inspiring. The general message is to go after your dreams (whether male or female) but it includes incredibly inciteful research into what can hold women back from reaching the top. I bought the book after watching Sheryl Sandberg’s TED talk ‘Why there aren’t more women leaders’ and found myself audibly shouting ‘YES’ and punching my hand in the air as I read it. Its philosophy is one that is close to my heart: I have a poster on my bedroom wall that reads ‘This house believes that the future belongs to female leaders.’

- Updating my website: It’s still a work in progress, but have a look: https://libbypage.wordpress.com/

- Trying to maintain some semblance of a social life: the weather may be back to dreary again but last weekend I enjoyed the sunshine at Regent’s Park – my favourite of London’s green spaces. I love looking up Primrose Hill and watching the people watching the view. It’s like turning around in the cinema and watching people’s faces as they watch the big screen.

All this means that I have less time than I would like to write, but I’m trying not to be too hard on myself. In the words of Sheryl Sandberg, I’m ‘leaning in’ as much as I can. But I think it's also good to know that if you lean too far and you might topple over. 

Libby