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Thursday 30 January 2014

I've reopened my Etsy Shop!

Pounds lost on diet - 4

Now many of you know that I've never really had much luck on Etsy, I mainly seem to sell through my website but I decided to have another go again so a small selection of my creations can now be found on Etsy. Here is a taster:

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Further adventures in needle felting

Pounds lost on diet so far - 3

So after my first attempt at needle felting last week (you can see them here) my next idea was to make some keyrings. So here they are.

Another freaky face

Izzy the Springer Spaniel

My mums cockatiel Marathon
I'm going to attempt something new today and probably stab myself several hundred more times. The needles are super sharp and barbed so you certainly know when you catch yourself. I'm expecting to stab myself a lot today as I'm stuck in one of those 'wake up every morning at 2.30am' loops again. Here's hoping I break the loop soon.

Have a good day!


Monday 20 January 2014

Blue Monday!

Total pounds lost so far on diet - 2 1/2

I've just been told that today is 'Blue Monday', the most depressing day of the year! Well mine certainly hasn't started off too well so there may be something in that. No 1 son is always up at around 5.30am so nothing new there but this morning No 2 son was also up! This isn't normal and doesn't bode well for the rest of the day as he needs more sleep. To top that I then manage to knock an entire cup of tea all over my bedside table and the surround area. Kindle, Tablet, Phone, DS, watch and all of the electrical cables that run in front of it! - sigh!

All that aside though my needle felting kit arrived on Friday! And what fun I had with it. I decided to throw myself in at the deep end and start with something tricky so made two balls and added faces to them. Sounds nuts I know and they do look a little odd but humor me I'm new at this!

So here we have two little 'creatures'.
Attempt number one I think I'll call Lapis Larry! I don't think he's totally finished yet, needs more hair and possibly feet, not sure.


The thing I find the funniest is that his expression is exactly the same as the one my old cat gave me all the time!


He now sits on my desk and just glares at me all day!
Attempt number two is also not finished and I think looked better before I added the eyes.


This one looks a bit like an alien, or one of the ants from Bugs Life!
So for a first attempt, what do you think? (Be nice, remember I'm having a bad day)

Hopefully 'Blue Monday' is treating you a little better than it is me. Have a good one!


Friday 17 January 2014

It's FRIDAY!

One week point of the diet:
Pounds lost - 1 (shocking for a first week isn't it)

I'm pleased it's Friday though, woke up feeling about 103. Right leg doesn't seem to be working properly at all. The joys of getting old (er). :(

I'm totally addicted to minions!

My kit didn't arrive yesterday so I wasn't able to find out how bad I am at needle felting. Rather down about that but today is another day isn't it. I have just found this image though...

How cool is this! May save all the crumbs getting in between the keys (I know you get this too don't you, admit it). Of course being a beader I also get seed beads stuck between mine too.

And in spite of being '103' and having a dodgy, painful right leg (no idea why) I'm smiling because I've found three post its from D today. This all started in December when I was having a bit of a rough time (I won't bore you with the details) I began to find a post it each day on my computer screen with a nice message or a joke. Now it has progressed to not only the post it on my screen but multiple, hidden post its all around the kitchen for me to find at various times. In cupboards, the next page of my notebook, under school flyers stuck on doors. Every time I find one of these it makes me smile and love him all the more. See, it's the little things that count and after 17 years together we've never felt so close.

Now I suppose I should do some work.
Have a good day!



Thursday 16 January 2014

I thought I was doing so well!

Pounds lost - 1 (I've gained a half pound back!)
Cheats on diet - 0 (hardly seems fair!)

I thought I was doing so well! I haven't cheated at all. Does the afternoon I spent fantasizing about Lion Bars count? I didn't have one, just thought about them. :( Maybe I should just stay away from the scales for a bit, what do you think?

On a lighter note, the Chilli went down a storm with everyone. It didn't seem to matter that I had used pork mince instead of beef and it is on the menu again next week. If you would like the recipe you can find it here. As I used the pork which was less than 5% fat it was Syn Free on the Slimming World Easy Plan.

I'm also waiting for the postman in a rather excitable manner today as I'm expecting my needle felting starter kit to arrive. I have so many ideas for how I can encompass this into some of my gemstone work and am keeping everything crossed that I can manage to create something acceptable. I've made toys out of felt (as you've seen on here) for years so fingers crossed.

Have a good day!



Tuesday 14 January 2014

4 days into the diet!

Pounds lost - 1.5
Cheats on diet - 0 (Yay)
Times almost cheated - 0 (Go me!)

Not fantastic is it but it's something. I'm also not finding it too hard so far but then the first week is always the easiest isn't it as you are full of enthusiasm. I'm still amazed that you can eat Baked Beans whenever you like on the Slimming World diet! It seems so wrong!

So last night was Jacket Spuds with Baked Beans and a huge salad (fat too big really as it took ages to eat!). We also worked out a salad dressing using fat free greek yogurt, mustard, lemon juice and salt and pepper. It was....ok.(ish)

It's said that the main reason all this works is that by going to the weekly groups you are almost shamed into sticking with it as noone wants to get on those scales and be heavier. I can see how this works. Thing is, I'm not going to groups so I'm going to try boring you lot with it instead. Can you keep me on the straight and narrow? Pretty please!

I have around 4 stone to lose (thanks to some bed rest and a pregnancy craving for Cadburys Whole Nut whilst carrying No 2 Son).

Tonight I'm attempting to make Chilli (never had it before) with pork mince as it's the only one I can find with less than 5% fat. We shall see how it goes.




Friday 10 January 2014

It's the simple things!

Sometimes just a little change can make everything seem a lot brighter can't it!

I work from a (very) small desk in the corner of my kitchen and it's easy to get bored with your surroundings. My working day has been brightened up dramatically by something quite small but which has made a surprising amount of difference. A mouse mat! Yes, that's right, a mouse mat.

This fabulous new item was given to me to Christmas by my best friend and co magazine editor Avril from Sprinkles Sparkles. This was one of many lovely gifts that Avril gave to me, she has certainly restocked my stationery habit nicely. So why such a difference? Well, it's brighter for a start. The mouse mat I had before was one of those with the gel wrist support (boring black too). On acquiring this one many years ago I soon discovered that the wrist support actually made my hand hurt so I have been using it back to front. Yes, this did look rather odd and it was also getting dog eared from overuse so my nice sparkly new mat was certainly a site for sore eyes. Would you like to see it?






This mat is from Santoro's Gorjuss range which really does live up to the name. Go on, take a look http://www.santoro.co.uk

You are eyeing my Swarovski pen aren't you! That was a fabulous gift from D for our 15th wedding anniversary last year. You can read a little more about this day here

So if you are a little bored as you sit at your desk why not change just one thing, it may make all the difference.

Have a good day!


Wednesday 8 January 2014

Life, the Universe and Everything!

Well it's D's 42nd birthday tomorrow! I am just about to write the 18th birthday card that I have given him. (That's one for each year we've been together not an 18th birthday card as that would be just silly - or would it?) Having written something suitably inspiring and mushy on his Christmas card a couple of weeks ago I now have to come up with something new. Hmmm...

It's just taken longer than usual sending Number One Son off to the school bus as he was even more ditzy than normal bless him. He came back in the house three times and then half way up the path turned and said "Have I got everything?" How would I know? He started high school last September and it's been a bit of a culture shock for him. I've been trying to train him in doing things for himself, it's a long road but we have made some headway.

At first I would tackle him when he first got home and pack his bag with him for the next day. Then we would go through the homework he had to do and he would do that (with as little shouting as possible). Next I would hang up his clothes for him.

Over the months we have now reached the stage where (prompted by me) he will pack his own bag when he gets home (on a good day) and rather incredibly hang up his own clothes. (This one took a few evenings of him in a heap on the floor crying he couldn't do it, what kind of a child am I raising here!) The clothes thing only extends to his school clothes though as the rest lie wherever he takes them off. Sigh.

It's all been such a big change for him and I still can't believe how big he is getting. At 12 he is now only about an inch shorter than me (maybe less) and I find it rather disturbing. They grow so quickly don't they, even the little one is 6 now and will no doubt be past me in no time at all.

Is it better to keep so busy that time flies or to do so little that it drags, at least you'd see more of it? But would you appreciate it? Probably all wrapped up in that question of life, the universe and everything.

Oh wait! The answer is D! He's the answer isn't he. Well tomorrow he will be when he turns

42!

I always knew he was super special. ;)




Tuesday 7 January 2014

The weather is such a Drama Queen!

I woke up this morning to howling winds and driving rain! (And a very annoying banging noise from outside my bedroom wall, I've never been able to work out what this is but it does it a lot when it's windy).

It was totally dark and very loud and certainly wasn't helping number one son with his stress about going back to school today. Even the weather didn't want him to go. When he did finally get there I got a BBM to say that some 'random other people' had taken over the bus shelter and they hadn't even got on their bus. Lots more grumpiness to come I think.

What is going on with the weather at the moment?

Last Autumn we were informed that we were about to head into the worst winter we'd had for 60 years, freezing temperatures and totally covered in snow until February. Yet even now we are still in double figures temperature wise, I'm not sure I believe forecasts at all anymore. We have been very lucky down here in that yes we have had high winds and LOADS of rain but we haven't sustained damage or been flooded. Our thoughts go to those that have been affected and hope that it settles down soon. On a brighter note it must have saved us all a small fortune in heating bills.

So, how are you all getting on with the New Year so far? Any big plans?

I have decided that I simply MUST streamline my business. I spend way too much time working for little gain so I need to make sure that everything I do is more effective. Which is easier said than done isn't it, but it is the plan none the less. I am hoping to move house in the next 12 months so there is plenty to do and I need to make time to do it. We've been in this small, damp bungalow for 7 years now and it is truly amazing how many possessions (total rubbish) we've accumulated. I blame most of this on how hard it is to throw things away these days. (Mostly my fault as I'm too lazy to take things to the tip). It was much easier though before we were limited to once a fortnight, only if it fits in your wheelie bin and the lid closes rubbish collections. We already have several black bags waiting their turn to get into the bin!

Is today going to be super productive? I shall tell you tomorrow. :)
Have a good day!


Monday 6 January 2014

Aren't the years flying?

I can't believe it is 2014! It sounds all wrong doesn't it! Where is the time going?

I am fast approaching a rather significant birthday at the end of the month and I'm doing quite a bit of back pedaling. Can I start going backwards please? At least until I get back to 21 then I am happy to start creeping forwards again. I did broach this option at home and D (Mr CL was confusing people so we will now refer to wonderful husband as D) decided to make a maths problem out of it for number 1 son. If mum gets one year younger every year until she gets back to 21, and then starts to go forwards at a rate of 2 years at a time. How many years will it take her to get back to the age she is now! I mean REALLY! I wasn't even going to attempt this, I was stressed enough already. And who said I was going forwards in 2 years anyway! Humpf!

Mind you, I was reading the a post from one of my favourite bloggers this morning (www.thebloggess.com) and I picked out a rather fabulous statement that I think I will use as my motto for 2014 at least.

Jenny said "You’re 40.  You’re just young enough to still do everything you still want to do and just old enough to not do anything you don’t want to do ever again."

My brain just doesn't want to compute though, I can't possibly be that old! Although I do often feel older as I have many aches and pains etc. Brainwise though I think my mental age is getting younger. It was always a joke in our family that I was born at age 45! (I was never amused) I think that as I get older I am actually mentally getting younger, so that's OK right?

I'm also starting a new diet on Friday (yes another one) so I shall keep you posted about how I'm doing. In 2012 it was the Harcombe Diet, last year was the 5:2, on Friday I start Slimming World.
Wish me luck!

And before I forget.....
HAPPY NEW YEAR!






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