Sunday 26 October 2008

52 ways to look after yourself, challenge 9

[B]Early to rise[/B]

This week i want you to get up early and appreciate the quiet. Whether you are already an early raiser or make a point of getting up a little bit early, take time before the daily rush of the day and savour that sweet stillness of a sunrise.

Early morning for me is a magical time for catching up on the little jobs that cant be done with the family around such as checking email, planning college work or quietly reflecting on things to yourself. There's nothing that really needs to be done, no place to be, so enjoy it.

Its free time for you to brew a little coffee, write in a art journal, take the dog for a walk, listen to the birds singing, its up to you. You may want to have a slightly earlier night in readyness for the day.

And for your LO this week you can create a lo about your early start, your feeling, your routine, whether this is a one off for you or a regular occurance.

Enjoy that peace

Sarah

Saturday 25 October 2008

52 ways to look after yourself, challenge 8

Break time: Come fly with me

This week I would like you plan your ultimate holiday. If you are like me, you will have a ultimate destination in mind already for when the kids have flown the nest and you have saved for that rainy day.

You will probably have a dream of flying away somewhere really exotic, be it a cultural tour of the orient, a safari in Africa or a bush tucker tour of Australia.

So take time to plan your dream holiday, go on the net and search out all those tourist hot spots or hunt out those little secret places hidden away. Taylor your plans to what suits you, be it 5 star luxury or back packer hostels way of the beaten track. Make your LO to represent that ultimate dream and one day it just might come true, I hope mine does.



I made my LO about Las Vegas as it is my dream to one day go and have a second honeymoon at vegas. What happens in vegas, stays in vegas, lol. I just love all the glam, glitze, cheese. I would people watch the gambling, show and dinner everynight, csi tours, the works. I also used the Teresa Collins travel collection which you can buy in Carolinez new october kit here for £13.75 or caroline has an offer on so why not take advantage of both bon apetite and travel kits for £25.

So go in, indulge in a little luxury of dreaming and bon voyage

Sarah

Friday 24 October 2008

Quick update

I seem to be neglecting my blog but that's only because i am so snowed under with college work. A big research proposal had to be done plus a peer review of a published scientific paper and power point presentation before setting up of a long term microbiology prac. That was all just last week. This week i have to continue with the prac, plus write a 2000 word essay for next Friday on the evolution of sex. Arh my head so hurts as also trying to decorate my little brothers house as well as design wedding invites for my oldest brothers wedding.

Speaking of invites, here are the samples i made up for them. They didn't like the "wallpaper effect" ie cuttle bug damask embossing folder. They were my faves as well. The chose the plainest ones, but that's there choice after all.

here are a few. The light was rubbish at mums when i took the pics.

















All these cards were so easy to make and probably not more than 60p each too make using standard envelopes. Mike actually wants really fancy envelopes So its gonna be a bit more expensive for them.

I have some crafty stuff done but i cant show you as its design team stuff. This month i have a stuff to do for Make the moment last as i have the guest design team spot for November. The kit i have to play with is just gorgeous, a right mix of colours so it perfect for softer LO's as well as my boy lo's. Even managed to fit in a mini book or two as well

Anyway back to the essay as i havent really started it yet, so unlike me, usually done by now.

Catch you soon.

Sarah

Friday 17 October 2008

The dreaded C word (Christmas)



Well its coming and theres nothing we can do to stop it so lets get organised early this year.

Over at Carolinez craftze, we will be bringing you lots of inspiration and ideas for cards, gifts and table decorations so that you can be super organised this year in plenty of time.

There will be specially designed kits to purchase so that you can follow our classes and have all the bits you need to make advent calendars, gifts etc.

Head on over as already there is a christmas card swap and a christmas cracker swap. Here's a new idea. We make a christmas cracker for someone out of stash. We fill it with a small gift worth say 3 quid. Pack it up( really well!!!) and swap it with someone else as a really cute little extra pressie. But a nice inexpensive one too!!lol. Sounds a novel idea, dont you think.

I am maybe thinking of hosting a mini book swap but will have to think about it some more.

But i will definately be bringing chritmas card ideas to the forum as i always make mine and i dont wont a mad rush to finish them this year, lol

Hope to see you there

Sarah

Diet update

Well yesterday was hectic as we went to Elgin to do some jobs and time just flew buy. First it was into my Local scrapbook shop for some supplies for a mini book swap i am currently in. Justine who is a fab host has organised another swap. Yhis time its a free size mini book swap in any colour/theme and upto 8 x 8 in size. There are just a few places left if you fancy joining in.

So after the lss it was into uni library to pick up a stack of text books on E coli. Took the boys and they were fascinated with how quite it was. There library is anything but peaceful apparently, i wonder why, lol.

Then it was round to check out my brother's new house. Oh it is gorgeous and i hope he will be very happy once we have decorated for him. By this time it was gone 1 ish and the boys needed feeding so i took them burger king. I am very proud of myself as i had forgotten my slim fast shake so just had a snack bag of pretzels and a apple. I didnt even contemplate a burger or chips at all and sat nibbling my apple.

Had my shake at 3 followed at 6 by creamy mushroom chicken, a jacket spud, large portion of carrots and sweetcorn. I had lots of water again and finished off the day with a banana at 9 oclock. Still really enjoying this.

Will be out tonight for our usual walk and tonight for the main meal its homemade beef burgers (WW recipe), homemade potato wedges and salad.

So motivated at the moment and thanks to all those willing me on.

Cheers

sarah

Wednesday 15 October 2008

Taken the plunge

I have decided to start dieting again. I have an incentive for my brother's wedding mid april. Plus i want nice graduation pictures when i finish uni! So as of yesterday i am off food. I am really looking forward to it.

We have a healthy diet anyway, lots of chicken, soups, salad, fruit and veg. I drink litres of water in the day as well. Our only downfall is not alot of exercise, bread and butter and the increasing number of takeaways that DH buys when its his turn to help out with the tea.

I went to weight watchers about 3 years ago. I was there for 10 months and lost over 60 pounds. I was at the gym twice a week and and swimming once a week. Then we got a new leader and my motivation went out the window. I stopped with the gym or going to ww. I did continue to eat ok ish though. But slowly that weight i lost has crept back on again over those 3 years which is a shame.

So i decided to try slim fast this time. I have a smoothy usually for breakfast so no difference there and usually a quick soup when i am home from uni. So i thought the slim fast plan may well suit me this time. I can have 3 additional snacks so that's 2 pieces of fruit and a sf snack. The a normal healthy meal.

I intent to use the blog as a motivational tool and shame me into loosing weight. It will also be a diary so i can look back on a meal recipe.

So here was yesterday's food (Tuesday)

Raspberry smoothie meal (Breakfast)

Strawberry Milkshake meal(lunch)
Banana snack(lunch)
SF cheddar bites snack(lunch)

main meal
low fat sweet and sour chicken
portion of rice
large portion of green beans

Apple snack

2 litres of water

exercise 10 minute stroll with puppy.

Today Wednesday

strawberry smoothie meal (breakfast)

Vanilla milkshake meal (lunch)
bunch of raspberry snack (lunch)
SF pretzels Snack (lunch)

Main meal
tuna and cheese back

recipe for 4 servings

2 x small tins of tuna
500ml skimmed milk
2 table spoons marg
2 table spoons flour
100 g extra low fat soft cheese
1 tablespoon mustard
salt and pepper
75g of cheese, low fat if possible
200g pasta swirls

served with small portion of potato's
green beans
sweetcorn

sf cereal bar (supper)

2L of water (boy is my bladder straining, lol)

exercise 2 x 10 minute strolls

Not really feeling hungry at the moment so its a good thing. DH says he is enjoying it as well but i have to remove the slim fast labels of his bottles!!!! How vain is he.

And as an incentive i am searching for stuff for the wedding that i will file away and have the pleasure of buying nearer the time. Here is what i have picked out today, lol.



Back tomorrow with another update

Cheers

Sarah

Our highland adventure!!!

On Monday we hit the road for a field trip for me and college. I am doing environmental rehabilitation for one of my modules. I have to find two sites, one that shows rehabilitation and one that shows degradation.

So i scoured the net in a search for a site and came across Glen Affric, just past Inverness. Glen Affric is a national nature reserve consisting of ancient caladonian forests consisting of scots pine. So we packed the car and off we travelled.

Problem one: sat nav took us 40 miles out of the way and put our final destination in a moor surrounded by sheep!!!!

Problem two: Koby, our shih tzu puppy deposited his breakfast all over Alex when he got car sick.

Problem three: serious lack of WC's in the middle of said moorland. We all had to make sure of some trees!!!

Problem four: Camera batteries died on the first shot. Note to self, check batteries. Saves going into shops for local people!!!!!!

So despite our problems, we managed to get back on course and find our location, via loch ness. The kids were fascinated when we told them the nessie stories and sat patiently waiting to see nessie for about half an hour, bless. We did see her eventually, a plastic model in the visitors centre, lol

Anyway, here are some pics including the massive hydro dam at the base of Glen Affric. I was so scared on it that i ran away and couldnt watch them walking across it. I have a deep routed fear of open bodies of water or bridges. Might have something to do with a dad who thinks it fun to try and chuck you off a bridge as a kid. Even the massive Runcorn-Widnes Bridge were i grew up, not nice.































I will leave you now before its death by pictures, lol

XXSarahXX

Tuesday 14 October 2008

52 ways to look after yourself, challenge 7

Makes good scents

This week I would like you to enjoy the power of fragrance to lift your mood. Take a drip to your local boots or perfume shop and check out the smelly section. Try on a few new perfume samples or have a squirt of some body spray.

Whilst you are there have a think about the perfume that is your favourite, do you go for the same one each time or do you experiment with a new scent each time.

How about compiling a list whilst you are having a play of the ones you may want as a Christmas present, big hint to the other half, lol

So this weeks challenge is to create a LO that represents the smells of you, be it your favourite perfume, a wish list or your smelly habits.

Happy Spray

Here is my LO. I love sampling perfume at xmas and giving a wish list to DH. I have noticed looking back at my collection that i always seem to got for the CK variety. I have journalled all about my tastes on some cards which are hidden behind pics again.



We look forward to see what you come up with this week. As always pop on over to the forum to join in

Also this week i have added a selection of buttons to the prize box.



Happy scrapping

Monday 6 October 2008

Memory storage box

I have been working on this for two weeks. Not that it was so complicated that it took that long, i was just doing a bit of glueing and sticking each night.

I followed the craft tv instructions to make this little box that i will send to the MIL full of a years worth of pictures.

I decorated with the love elsie Claire papers from Carolinez june kit which you could find here but has now sold out.







Thats all for now folks

Sarah

Sunday 5 October 2008

52 ways to look after yourself challenge 6

Film Festival



This week i want you to take advantage of the rubbish weather we have been having. Get that heating on, light the coal fire and just chill out for a bit.

Organize your very own private film festival to highlight your favourite actor, comedian or director. If you are doing this as a family, each pick a favourite to watch. If you are doing this alone, go for all those mushy tear jerkers, lol.

And remember, a true film festival is not complete without snacks, popcorn or icecream. Dont feel guilty about it, you need sustenance for all that viewing.

So for your LO this week i want you to create something about your mini festival or your favourite films. Have a think about why you love the same type of film all the time, why it appeals to you. Come up with some lists and again incorperate into your LO.

So here is mine. Yesterday we all stayed in PJ's for the day, got the coal fire glowing and sat like couch potatoes all day. We had a Simon Pegg day and watched " Run fat boy run" and " Hot Fuzz ". We also had a spatering of kids movies and even a christmas film to get us in the mood for the cold coming months. We had plenty of snacks thru out the day.

On my LO i have two hidden journal cards which both list my favourite all time films and why i love the type of films i do.



Cant wait to see what you come up with. Happy viewing

In the prize box this week i will add a selection of blooms. Remember to pop on over to the forum to join in. Link on the right hand side.

Sarah

Wednesday 1 October 2008

Not much going on

Over the summer i was updating this blog on a daily basis but now its back to college and its getting really neglected.

I am trying to (but its not always working) to do as much of college work in the day and just a little each evening so that i have all my weekends free to craft and do family things. It means i get some me time and i know from past experience if i try and work late then i waste my time as nothing is absorbed and i just end up real cranky.

Plus side is that now i have Koby here at my heals i am not feeling so low. This time of year is going to be painful as Bonfire and novemebr have significance regarding Clausey, our old dog. This will be the first year without him.

But Koby, who will never replace him as he just a different kettle of fish, is doing his best to cheer me up. Take this morning, pouring with rain, he has a mad dash on the drive and ran so fast he fell over his own feet and somersaulted 3 times down the drive and landed in a huge muddy puddle. He ran straight in the house, tail between legs and jumped all over the cream throws on my sofa's!!!!

I have so many half finished projects on the go at the moment but hopefully i can get some finished at the weekend and update the blog with some craftyness for once.

Edited to say, I tell a lie, I have been productive. I made a couple of digi LO's using Dawn Inskips new Halloween Kit. Now i am not a digi scrapper but i couldnt resist a little play around last night. I originally bought the kit for all the embellishments as i want to print them and make a hybrid project or two.

Here is what i did first.



And then i decided to play around with the shape and made it round. I then made the paper bag paper into a round shape as well to mat the original LO on. I really like how it turned out. Dont knock my digi skills as i dont have photoshop or prefess to know how to do digi with shading and all that malarky, lol



Thats all, just a quick one to let you know i am still being productive only slowly now, lol

Sarah xxx