Dungaree fun

Hello everyone,

Last week I posted a mini blog post with a fun little video that I had made, but I thought I’d write a proper post today. Not regarding the previous post as a “real” blog post the latest post was in the end of July of 2017. So, what has happened since?

Well, to be honest, a lot has happened, the most noticeable would be that my hair is now lighter and shorter. In the post back in 2017 I wrote that I am having a hard time fitting blogging into my life, and I wrote I didn’t know if it was a lack of time, inspiration or content, and now in hindsight I can say that  it was all three with the addition of a deteriorating mental health. At the end of last summer my depression was creeping back, and I was frustrated that it was back. It got quite dark and I once again questioned my being alive, as I often do when the depression is back. I had ended all my medication, but had to see a doctor to get help, because I was very quickly slipping into a very very dark place. I was once again started on new medicine. I did not get better and that took it’s toll on my relationship with my then-boyfriend. I spent the better time of the autumn getting on and off different medication and basically crying. Feeling like life was, once again, really tough. I was lucky to have the support of beautiful friends, and the undying love from my family (that I could not live without). I also started seeing a therapist, which is expensive but was very much worth it at that time. In December I broke up with my then-boyfriend, and post-Christmas things started getting a little better. I got a medicine that worked a little bit better and things weren’t black as night, but more of a grey.

For most of the spring I don’t feel like I quite did anything at all. I was very busy though. My dearest sister got her PhD degree and spring sprung like springs do. I busied myself with dancing. Dance has been one of my life’s saviours. When I dance I am so focused that I am completely in the moment. There is no time to worry about the future or thresh in the past, it is only then and there. It is only now. I feel like I am completely in the moment and completely gone, all at the same time. It is nothing quite like it and I love it. Dance is a great therapy for me.

In march I found out that it will take one year before I will be able to see a psychiatrist. I am currently in the queue, waiting for that. And in the meantime I feel like my life is on hold. I write a lot, about how I feel and updates on Instagram (@curlsncake). I wrote a post on Instagram about my current feelings only a couple of days ago. Like I already mentioned, I feel like my life is in a pause. I’m not well enough to do my research, and am on sick leave from that. The research itself is bad for my health as it is a very highly demanding job and it gives me anxiety. I doubt my abilities and I feel like I will never be good or smart enough to manage my research, so I worry. I worry about who I am, if I am not a scientist. I worry about what my future holds, if anything at all. And I worry about my worth. I feel worthless and stupid. My depression however is better. I have bad days, but most are okay. Not good, but manageable. It’s just that my anxiety is so high and I feel like there isn’t one thing that I’m not worried about. I feel very unsure about everything…

I try to be creative though, with baking and makeup. Coordinating outfits and dancing when I can. I feel very tired very often, and most often than not I need breaks to be able to finish something, because my energy is low. I meet up with kind and good friends that give me joy, and I hang a lot on Instagram. I’ve noticed that being creative helps. It gives something to the soul that truly nothing else can give you. And that, my friends, is why this blog is back in business. I think I need this blog now more than ever. If you are reading this, then I am so happy that also you are back here. Thank You!

Finally, on to this outfit. I adore these dungarees from Lucy & Yak. I saw these dungarees in lilac on Instagram worn by none other than the gorgeous Magnus, and she suggested I get a red pair. As the faithful follower I am, I got a red pair, and I am in LOVE! These dungarees are the comfiest thing I’ve ever worn, and it’s super duper cute too. I just love them so much. I wore it with a t-shirt from Monki and I was good to go. My sister and I shot these photos and I had so much fun. These dungarees make me sillier than what I am, and I just felt like a happy, playful child in them!

 

T-shirt: Monki (here)

Dungarees: Lucy and Yak (here)

Shoes: Ecco (old)

What do you think about dungarees? Are they in or out? Would you wear them, and if yes, in which colours?

Once again, I want to thank you so much for reading this. You really are wonderful people made of diamonds and pure gold, and I think you are all wonderful.

Much love,
Mona

Shapeways: Making 3D printing a reality

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Hello all you lovely people.
Today I want to talk about a technology that is being used in many areas, amongst them my favourites of medical science and fashion. I was contacted by Shapeways, which is a 3D printing service based in New York to write about the technology, and I think it is a very innovative and cool thing.

The technology of 3D printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing are various processes used to create three dimensional objects. Additive Manufacturing refers to the method of which the three dimensional object is created, by adding layer after layer of material until you have your object, whatever it may be. The process however starts by creating a design in a 3D modelling software. At Shapeways anyone can upload designs, and you don't even need to have any experience with 3D modelling. I'm quite intrigued myself and only need some inspiration to come up with a design to try it out. After the file is created with the 3D design, the Additive Manufacturing Machine (a 3D printer) reads the file and produce layer after layer of material to produce the 3D object. A whole range of different materials can be used, among them plastics, metals and ceramics.

This technology can be used in many different areas and is very popular in design and architecture. For someone like me who is working in medical science I can see this technology being used for numerous different things in our scientific discipline. In fact 3D printing has already been used to create implants for patients, everything from hips to jaws have been produced as well as full on prosthetics. How cool is that!

Another area where 3D printing is becoming very big is in fashion and style. Everything from accessories (many of which I want) to a completely 3D printed dress now exist to my excitement. The designer duo Nervous System has design a fully movable dress that has been printed by Shapeways. You might wonder how it is even possible to create a dress out of plastics, metals and ceramics, I sure wondered. But look at this dress! It is completely functioning and it moves like any beautiful cloth would.

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The design is super interesting, because they've created interlocking parts which results in a complex structure of moveable, kinematic wearables. Basically they've used little moveable pieces that together form something like a fabric. And what is even more amazing is that a dress is "too big" to be able to create in a 3D printer, but with the help of a physics simulation their moveable design could be folded into a small enough object that could be printed by the 3D printer. When it is then taken out of the machine the folded piece of fabric can be unfolded into a dress. This technique enables the creation of new "fabrics" that can have all sorts of different properties depending on how they are designed, such things like the stretch, flexibility, warmth and colours of the new fabrics can be altered and mixed.

The technique may also be used to create super custom-fit clothing and accessories by body data. It truly sounds like something out of science fiction. But the dress is real and located at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. If you want to see the dress actually worn and moving look at this amazing video that explains a little more in detail how the dress was created:

Shapeways want to make 3D printing accessible to everyone, which I think is a very honourable mission, as it allows people like you and me to create incredible things, making ideas into reality, only hindered by our imagination. Shapeways is a marketplace where designers can upload and sell their 3D designs, for example this lovely DNA pendant caught my eye immediately (being the science nerd that I am and working with DNA), but just thinking about how it was made makes it that much cooler.

DNA necklace by the shop somersault18:24 (here)

In Shapeways I have definitely found a place where I will shop for myself (I really want that DNA pendant) and friends, and just being able to say that a gift has been 3D printed makes my mind boggle with excitement. The fiction of it all is no more - it is true and real science that is being used to create the coolest accessories and designs.

Much love!

Fashion vs Style

"Fashion" is a tricky thing. I never say I have a fashion blog, but rather a style blog. Fashion is the popular styles and trends of the day. And because of that I have a bit of an issue with "fashion". I claim my personal style to be girly, cute, quirky and vintage-inspired. So by definition my style is the opposite of fashion, because I don't wear what is recognised as the popular styles of the time and season, but rather what may have been fashion some decades ago. It may be a rather controversial subject, but I believe that fashion is the antithesis of individuality and style. Style is a personal thing, and it reflects and individuals originality, whereas fashion is a trend, and intends to polish away quirkiness.

I may be alone in my opinion on fashion, but I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject? And how do you feel about fashion vs. style?

Befitting to the subject I am wearing a dress from the Book of Deer S/S 2012 collection. The dress is not for this season, but three years old. However Book of Deer is a brand that manages to intertwine fashion and style. The pieces are unique and original, and surpasses trends. This dress caught my eye this year, because I was first introduced to Book of Deer in 2015, and the amazingly talented creator of Book of Deer, Eilidh Ho, gifted me this dress after I told her how much I loved it. I adore the magnificent colour of this dress - it makes me feel like a woodland nymph, which is a feeling I appreciate very much. The fairytale-esque spirit that this dress has makes me want to wear it again and again. And I don't understand why something like fashion should dictate what we wear. I am perfectly happy in my out-of-season dress!

Dress: Book of Deer