Be Carefree Car-Free!

There is an international day dedicated to travelling car-free, did you know? It's tomorrow, the 22nd of September.

We tend to forget how easy it is to take public transport within the city instead of sitting in traffic jams, while all the buses rattle past us in the empty bus lane... Not having to search for a parking space, just propping up our bikes right next to our destination... Walk to the corner shop for what we need instead of buying up everything in a hypermarket thinking "I don't have to carry it, I might as well buy this and this and this too...". Curling up on a seat on the night bus after a night out instead of paying for a taxi... (I won't even go into environmental issues here, we know those all too well.)

So how about not getting into your cars tomorrow, take the bus, get on your bikes or just walk! I will definitely do so! :)

Car-Free Day has been celebrated for a few years here in Budapest, when the great Andrássy boulevard is closed down and people stroll and cycle all over, look at stalls where they can learn more about environmental issues and check out arts and crafts stuff in the middle of the city. This year I made some small paintings that will await their buyers anxiously at the stall of Jojó Art Shop, here's a sampling for you! The green paper you see is from a photo album from 1909 (that was the date pencilled into it). I found it in a second hand bookshop, in a very cheap pile, after the owner took out all the pictures and left the book there, falling apart. The paper is gorgeous and I love painting on it...

Illustrated Shoot - The Leprechauns Made Me Do It

Obviously they like pixies, so they persuaded me to get the new haircut. Altough I don't blame them at all, as I love it more and more. Drying my hair takes two minutes, and I don't wake up every morning with what looks like a stack of hay that was thrown at me randomly.







































I have a lot to thank the Leprechauns for, or Irish mythology in general, as I ended up at English major at the University I attended because of a really inspirational musician, who plays in an Irish band called Bran, who held storytelling evenings in Budapest. It turned out he has a lecture at my university every week and I decided it must be a good place if studying there involves Irish folk tales.







































So I proceeded with my Irish Studies and met my Boyfriend through it all, and we travelled to Ireland together... The Aran Islands are still my dream destination, a wonderfully magical place, where mythological creatures frolick around the stone fences, unseen but felt by the random tourist.





























I was gonna post these pictures somewhat earlier but fell ill so I couldn't finish the drawings till now - a bit of a belated St. Patrick's Day! I could just say it was because of the Leprechauns... Let's say it was. :)

 I thought three different types of lace would look good together, hence the all-black outfit. Hope you can sort of see!

Wearing: Thrifted top and skirt, H&M scarf, gifted belt, Deichmann shoes, primark headband.

Pictures and drawings by me.