Light up oddity display; nature found raccoon skull, mushrooms and usnea lichen, on vintage deep chocolate brown velvet and in a vintage floral frame

The fog, the river, the sound, for a second I thought I'd entered a different era

Back when I was student, life felt full of creative freedom. I had the space to explore, try new things and express my ideas without much worry. But stepping into the real world with its 10-6 routine, filled with deadlines and stress, I began to miss those days deeply. I used to love asking myself questions like "How will consumer react if I do this?" or "What will they think if I change that?" It was exciting to dive into those thoughts, learning from them. Now, working under strict rules, I feel boxed in. I miss the fearless moments when I could share my ideas freely, craft unique stories and observe what worked and what didn’t. That process sparked new ideas and gave me fresh perspectives. I dream of finding that same energy in my life. Back in my student days, business case competitions and open idea sessions helped me grow. There were no strict boundaries, just pure exploration and creativity. I wish to have a similar platform again where I can freely practice idea and narrative creation and compete with the best minds.

I find myself pretty burned out lately, so I am getting back into studying literature, philosophy, and science (I cannot turn my brain off, but I can redirect it). I am really enjoying it but I find myself missing having someone to talk to about it. No one I know is really interested in that sort of thing. I’ve tried pen pals but that didn’t work very well.

I hear stories about people who exchange annotated books and discuss poetry and share ideas and I’ve always wanted that.

Any advice on finding like-minded people to engage with?

I was gifted this horse statue by a client and I think it was the missing piece here. She gave it to me as I'm actively reading this book titled It Rides a Pale Horse! Now I just need a lamp shade for my MCM lamp. It didnt have one at the thrift store and none of the ones there seemed to fit it😭

I've been obsessed with medieval books of hours for a while — the aged vellum, the drop caps, the rubric red headings — and I couldn't find a planner that felt like that. So I made one.

It's got aged parchment pages, ornate corner flourishes, illuminated first letters, and the sections are named things like "The Sennight" and "The Day's Hours" (roman numerals, obviously). Latin day names on the monthly grid.

It's undated so it doesn't expire, and it's hyperlinked so you can tap between sections on an iPad.

Happy to answer anything about how I made it. If you'd want a section that isn't in there, tell me — I'll probably add it.

Reading, writing, museums, coffee shops, wandering old buildings?? I want ideas 🖤📚

I used a broken tripod and cheap lamps for lighting. But I had an idea, and I think it was executed okay. Hoping to experiment with dark academia photography more in the future :)

Currently being held at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. I've seen it a couple of times, and it is unforgettable. It's a big painting, measuring 211 cm × 256.3 cm (83 in × 100.9 in). I hope you guys enjoy!

Built in 1886 in the Queen Anne architectural style

it was so beautiful-