Flurogoddess

GIVEAWAY PART II!

2010-01-30T17:17:00.001Z

I am giving away these lovely hand-stiched love heart cards just in time for valentine's day.

To enter leave me a comment before Feb 5th telling me about a great V-day you've had in the past!

Well HASN'T it been a long time?

2010-01-15T08:39:00.007Z

Probably so long that no-one is reading any more. Whoopsie!

I actually have a micro-cosm of free time today, I should probably be doing some Biology marking, or perhaps my School-Based-Study or even a report on how great my School Experience 1 has been, oh, or my second coursework module, but somehow at 8:40am I am still easing into my day after a rather hectic and draining day yesterday.

Thursday started off earlier than usual at the mind-numbing time of 6:15. Ugh. I didn't realise there even was day that early! Then I had a lovely trek across town to Whitechapel, where by this time it was peeing down so I arrived at my second school placement soaked to the skin. My new school is Bishop Challenor - aka THE LEARNING VILLAGE! There are 1700 pupils compared with the current 440, there are boys :-O but I get to teach the boys and the girls separately. Oh yeah, and Tower Hamlets is the poorest area in the country, compared with Hampstead, which is the richest. Good greif this is going to be a culture-shock! Hopefully I get a job at a school that is somewhere in the middle. :-) Actually I'd love a job here at Francis Holland, but they have a full compliment (2) of Physics staff. *cry*

On returning to Francis Holland, it really hit me that I only have a week left here, and felt quite sad about it, but I had the best time with 24 year sevens who I took to the climbing wall. Gosh they are like little monkeys - scurrying up the walls. Absolutely amazing!

Straight from climbing I trekked the other way across town to Heston (near Heathrow) to teach my ladies kickboxing. I worked their bums off, so that was good - and I actually had students yesterday, which was ace! Eventually I landed home to an over-excited reception from the meowkins, so I took some pictures of her doing random cat things and eating my toast (see my flurogoddess365 blog). Finally fell into bed with a good book and a good man.

Good Eventide!

2009-10-27T21:45:00.005Z

Well hello there!

I'm glowing after a great sparring workout that was horrendously hard but just great! Some guy picked me up and pretty much threw me against a wall, but apart from him, I just about whipped everyone's ass. :-D

I've posted off the winners' cushions, I actually found that I had 2 left, so two out of three commentors have cushions slowly making their way to them by pigeon post!

I don't exactly have too much to say, I'm working on an essay about continuity and progression in science education - exactly, facinating stuff, eh? The cat is madly in heat at the moment, and if it goes on much longer I am definitely having her fixed (She's a house-cat so no ranty irresponsible-pet-owner-comments sil vous plait)! The sight of cat bottom in front of me on the desk is proving a tad wearing!

Oh yes, I know, something that I love, love, love and that my Dad e-mailed me the other day:

Be a pig of happiness - go and spread some love!

Half term!

2009-10-19T14:50:00.002+01:00

Well I left you all for over half a term, but I am here now. I managed my first lie-in for about 8 weeks this morning, and I am still tired! I think I might just have a little nap before I go out teaching my little dragons.

I've managed to get to the post office today to post out some baker's twine that I sold 4 times over in my folksy shop! I'm thinking about winding it on something other than a dolly peg, since it made posting it a very expensive affair - the package weighed 33g but it still cost £1.28 to post since it was over the thickness of a large letter. :-( Silly Royal Fail. And because of the striking, people probably won't receive them for another 50 years!

I am currently in the process of clearing out the junk room - I mean, we've only been here a year and still haven't unpacked! So look out for plenty more giveaways here on the blog, and if you haven't commented below for the breakfast-face cushion, then don't delay - closing date is Friday!

GIVEAWAY!

2009-10-15T21:25:00.005+01:00

I apologise for the light posting, but I am just busy being busy - teaching is starting in earnest and it's all very scary and exciting and boring all at the same time!

Anyway, to celebrate my first ever teaching lesson - which was about science experiments, I have a lovely breakfast face cushion to give away! Now it's not exactly the one in the picture (I am too lazy to get off my bum and take a picture), but it is very very similar except the background is blue.

If you would like a chance to win this fabulous cushion - please comment with a contact e-mail by Friday 23rd.

Calling All Font Whores!

2009-10-09T23:36:00.001+01:00

Check out this video, I am particularly giggling over CS's character after being told to use Comic Sans in powerpoint presentations for school! *cringe*

http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/helvetica-vs-ariel/

Nearly there...

2009-09-03T13:06:00.003+01:00

I'm nearly starting my PGCE. PANIC! I'm feeling pretty well rested today, getting into a nice routine and feeling lovely and relaxed, only to be dropped into a primary school head-first next week!

I'm just looking at my diary to see what I've done these past 4 weeks and it appears to be: not much. I have been up to my eyes in stuff though - from visiting friends and babies to getting new bike tyres, a couple of days out here and there and a few days delivering leaflets and posters for my new martial arts classes starting on Saturday. I've made room for a couple of days of ER watching - I've managed to watch just over 1 series and I don't think I'll have much time for any more, I've got some t-shirts to print, a barbecue to attend and afternoon tea and then the chaos ensues!

Yesterday I baked some Sophie Dahl bread with Wallace and Gromit flour (strange but true!). Sophie Dahl's cookery book (Sumptuous Delights) is lovely - I read all the life-story bit first, then I browsed the recipes - it's not all cakes and fancy dinners, it's really well done for just day-to-day dishes. She's split the book into seasons, so that you can use seasonal ingredients if you so wish, then each season is broken down into Breakfasts, Lunches and "Suppers" (POSH!). I looked through the summer meals but wasn't too inspired, however the autumn dishes are my favourite - not surprising since autumn is my favourite season! Last night I made the lovely bread, I also made some grilled vegetables with halloumi which is a simple recipe, but it has things that I wouldn't have thought of, like salting the aubergine and then mixing some lemon juice with olive oil before you drizzle it over the veggies. This morning I made a rice cereal thingo, which I suppose is a cross between rice pudding and porridge but neither really... It's just basmati rice cooked in milk with cardamom (YUM!) and cinnamon. I'm trying to encourage hubs to try cooking (for me) so that I don't have to slave away over a hot stove while I'm trying to balance on one leg and write lesson plans!

And with that, I shall leave you... With a picture of the cat!

Bournemouth - 'ave it!

2009-08-10T08:48:00.003+01:00

I spent the weekend in Bournemouth with the kickboxing guys. LOVING IT!!!

2009-08-05T10:34:00.003+01:00

Changes are afoot on planet Jen and I am 110% enjoying them. I cannot wait to be finished with work. Sometimes I think I might be sad on Monday, but then I think of those lovely, blank, clear 4 weeks that I have and I am relishing the fact that I can actually DO things, rather than just think about them from the confines of my desk.

I feel some slight trepidation that from September onwards a PGCE course plus 9 martial arts classes a week might be a tad overwhelming, but I know that I work well when I don't have time to spit! I'd rather be so busy that I don't have time to think about anything else than sitting staring and doing nothing BUT thinking of all the lovely things I could be doing with my time.

There is also a small part of me that is scared of this teaching malarky, but on the other hand I only have to get my bit of paper, I don't ever have to step into a Physics lab for as long as I live after that if my martial arts takes off.... I explained to my friend Lee that while I do want to teach martial arts 100% of the time and do nothing but that, I am too sensible to give everything up just for that, especially when I'm earning less than £200 a month at the moment! I suppose there must be a leap of faith somewhere, but I am too sensible. Also on the same day that I handed my notice in, my husband was told that there is a second round of redundancies going on in his department at work. Eeeekorama! So perhaps my being too sensible is a good thing at the moment.

Crafty-wise there are a few things in the offing - I've made a phone cover, a jewellery boxy pouch and a cushion in the past few days. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but of course they are FABULOUS, take it from me ;-)

THE PLAN is coming together nicely - this is my calendar for the next 4 weeks. It includes visiting friends, babysitting, kickboxing, dinners out, clubbing, curtain making and sleeping! I think I will have to block out some time for house sorting/unpacking too - it's only been 9 months since we moved in. What??? With the unpacking/clearing/sorting there will be some crafty giveaways too, so keep your eyes peeled!

Also, alllsooooooo I keep thinking, "Gosh, it'll be good to be ME once I'm out of this job." Not because I necessarily put on a front to do this job, but because I always feel a little bit awkward - the other staff are older than me by a generation, I can't play music, I have to wear clothes other than pyjamas to come to work and no-body really talks here, unless it's about the TV. Of course I can't wear pyjamas to teach, but I have bought a really nice wardrobe from Boden which is almost as nice as slobbing around in pyjamas.

Brief world-of-jen update.

2009-08-03T12:22:00.003+01:00

I have accepted one of my PGCE course places.

I have resigned from my fundraising job.

I have more martial arts classes than I can shake a stick at.

I have 4 weeks between finishing work and starting Uni.

I have the biggest PLAN for those 4 weeks, full of creating, chilling, visiting and sleeping.

I have just spent far too much money on a new wardrobe of "teacher clothes".

ETA: It appears I have lost half a stone since I handed my notice in without trying at. All. Just goes to show what happens when you're happy :-)

omigodomigodomigod!

2009-07-22T08:42:00.002+01:00

I've just got back to work after two days off for various PGCE interviews and martial arts stuff and come back to two offers on two separate PGCE courses!

Whoop whoop!

I'm SO excited!

2009-07-16T14:20:00.003+01:00

I have about a billion new martial arts classes starting very soon. Yesterday my Principle Instructor and I visited a lot of Sports Centres in the area and taught a lesson at my local secondary school. Everyone is very keen to have us on board, we obviously talked the talk very well!

When in doubt...

2009-07-14T10:22:00.001+01:00

post photos of the cat!

Jubilee

2009-07-07T14:19:00.003+01:00

Someone at work mentioned the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. And lo and behold I have a photograph of my young parents celebrating. My Dad looks like Liam Gallagher with a Union Flag from a Woolies carrier bag sewn onto his T-shirt and my Mum is just radiant and channelling some feminist standards in the chest area!

The beady-eyed menace!

2009-07-06T13:36:00.003+01:00

Seriously. Scales! What the heck do you think you're playing at?

First you drop so easily, then you bounce back up for no apparent reason, then you stick then you stick, then boom! Down you go again! I even ate fish and chips on Friday and popcorn on Saturday and cake and cheese bread on Sunday! What are you doing to me???

Isabelle necessary?

2009-06-25T11:37:00.002+01:00

This is my our Brompton. I want to call her Isabelle, however DH is protesting loudly and doesn't want her being called any "girly names". I don't think he gets it!

I haven't introduced her to Penelope yet, but I'm sure they'll get along fine and won't be too jealous of each other!

Assorted Wildlife

2009-06-24T08:49:00.002+01:00

All spotted this weekend!

Etsy Love

2009-06-18T10:15:00.001+01:00

I love this print from dazeychic on etsy. Yum yum! I've just splashed the cash and bought 3 different prints in her shop - can you guess which ones?

Sweet, sweet kickboxing!

2009-06-17T08:39:00.002+01:00

I had a fab lesson yesterday, and everything is right with the world.

WARNING: Self-indulgent weight-loss whinging!

2009-06-15T14:54:00.002+01:00

So for the past 3 weeks I've been trying reasonably hard to not eat cake.

I can't really expand on my philosophy much farther than that. I've been reading intuitive eating books and trying to listen to my body, and not eat too much. I've also been journalling my food and counting calories but without any clear calorie "goal" for the day. If some days end up at 1400 and I'm not hungry, then that's fine, if some days end up at 2200 whether I ate cake, or whether I was just really hungry, then that's fine too.

As for exercise, well for the past week I was meaning to get my 'tocks to the gym. I even had my gym gear packed (and it's still packed) for most of the week, but somehow raging tiredness conspired against me. I am still doing martial arts (actually strike that, last week I missed my private lesson and didn't really do much in the "advanced" class because I turned up late!) for exercise and not really a lot else. I know this is not really enough to help me lose weight, but like I say the past week was a bit upside-down for one reason or another.

On Saturday I was exhausted and ate a whole bag of corn chips and about 10 biscuits after an afternoon nap! Fortunately I didn't turn this destructive eating into an excuse to eat Mars Bars and cake for the rest of the day because I sat in the bath and read some Bethanny Frankell and got out feeling a little less worse for wear.

This little blog entry is probably a confession of sorts, or excuses, as to why I think the gym scales will probably not show a loss. You see, the first week that I wrote down my food and "tried not to eat cake" I had a surprising loss of 1 kilo. (I like weighing in kilos, there is none of that shame that says, "OMG I'm 14 STONE!!!!! EEEEEEEEEK!" I have no reference point with kilos!) The following week, I also surprised myself with another loss of 1kg!!! I was pretty astounded because what I was doing food-wise wasn't HARD. Does that sound stupid or what?? Seriously, I had not expected to lose any weight whatsoever because I wasn't starving hungry all the time, and I didn't really deny myself anything and I didn't kill myself at the gym. Messed up, or what?

Anyway, so, you've guessed it, Monday night is weigh night! Writing these few paragraphs has made me see that, no, I probably won't have lost any weight this week, but you know what, that's OK! I missed my private kickboxing lesson on Tuesday because I had to present to a Rotary Club, which included dinner! On Wednesday I was exceptionally tired, and I probably ate more that I should've done and I didn't write my evening eats down, so I have no idea quite what happened, but I do know that Fish & Chips were involved! Thursday was a pretty normal Thursday. Friday I was in a school all day which was challenging, and they gave us lunch, but way beyond my usual lunch time and I was starving, and the food wasn't all that good, so I ate more to make up for it(twisted, yes?)! When I got home I pretty much ate for Britain because I thought I was still hungry, when in fact I was probably just over-tired. I do know that I had chips and ice cream for dinner on Friday! Lovely! Saturday had a low point, but I think overall I managed to reign the day in and yesterday was upside-down too, because of a kickboxing tournament I didn't get to eat lunch until half past 3, but I don't think I did too bad a job of the day, even though "lunch" was chips, pita and brie, and dinner was a slice of pizza and some Mars Crispies!

I'm going to practise my back-kicks for a little while tonight and really try to nail them. I've been without a private lesson for 6 weeks and I really should've been practising more. Then I am going to weigh myself and I am NOT going to freak out. Well, I will be dissapointed if I have a gain, but I know that this week has been mental, and I am back on track again for a slightly calmer week next week.

Little Dragons

2009-06-11T16:40:00.001+01:00

Bless them!

I put 6 through their Orange belt test and 2 through their yellows. They all passed! I'm so proud.

Monkey Mail!

2009-06-09T13:03:00.003+01:00

These beautiful monkey watercolours came in the post on Monday! I participated in Claire Payne's monkey swap and Ag from on planet ag sent me these lovely items.

My monkeys were a bit difficult to round up - so they are in the post today. Blushes.
And this fabulous Happyscape is by Carina and was waiting for me on my desk on Monday morning. LOVE IT!

Accidental Sweetness

2009-06-04T09:01:00.003+01:00

I've been clearing through my CF card, and I found this picture which I'd used to make a custom white balance, but it's actually tres cute!

The three chiddlers in the photo are looking at a hole in the wall. During the martial arts class, which had been finished for about 5 minutes when I took this picture, the instructor told them that there was a snake that lived in the hole. I think he perhaps made an appearance for the photo ;-)

Hands free!

2009-06-03T16:32:00.002+01:00

Patented by moi!

And you think it's just a silly picture, but I actually wore this for an hour while I was gossiping to my Mum and painting the window frame.

Oh YAY!

2009-06-02T12:41:00.003+01:00

My little notebooks. :-)

blogged about here!

Photoplaying

2009-06-02T11:27:00.002+01:00

I've been playing in photoshop. :-D

Lime Hawk Moth

2009-06-01T11:28:00.003+01:00

The hubs was on the way out one day and called me out to see a "big butterfly" in the hallway.

I knew it was a moth, but never having seen anything like it before, I didn't know exactly what kind of moth.

I wiki-ed - apparently it's very common in London and the south. Clearly a Northern Lass like me didn't know that! It's a Lime Hawk Moth, and very pretty it was too!

Oh poosticks!

2009-05-28T13:30:00.002+01:00

Well I applied for my PGCE (post-grad teacher training) but unfortunately I wasn't successful at my first choice of University. I'm not 100% surprised since the interview went really really badly, I did not get on with the woman at. All. I nailed the bit where you actually had to present, and you know, TEACH. But screw that - because I can't explain an X-Ray to a year 7 student (a what? I think she means Lower 4th ;-) ) because I am wetting myself with nerves and I think the pH scale is linear rather than logarithmic because no-one's told me otherwise then bye-bye teaching. Surely they teach you these things ON the teaching course, you'd think...

I've only just found this out, and I am at work, and of course work does not know that I am looking at alternatives. I am trying not to wallow, I am trying not to dispair and feel that my only other option has been closed to me (there are still 3 other choices to apply to for my PGCE). I am stuck here, in a job I was forced into, stuffing envelopes when what I really want to be doing is teaching martial arts and crafting. And now I feel that I can't even teach martial arts that well, after all if I was a good teacher, then my classes would be busier and I wouldn't have to stay in this job, I would've told them where to go last month. I'm not even 100% confident in my crafting, I feel like I do so many different things that I don't have a niche (I feel like this about all of my disparate talents).

Le sigh.

Run, run, RUN!

2009-05-26T10:34:00.002+01:00

I've obviously worked harder than the two lanky lads who I'm with ;-)

We have a WINNER!

2009-05-22T11:39:00.003+01:00

The lovely Laura won my fabulous scarf giveaway! The scarf will be winging its way over to her asap.

Everyone else, keep your eyes open over here, I see more giveaways in future!

Coraline

2009-05-14T15:29:00.004+01:00

I am feeling mildly grumpy today. I'm trying to look on the cheery side by playing with the Coraline website. We went to see it yesterday and looked like nerds in our 3D glasses. I was going to take a picture of my geek-glasses but you'll have to make do with my Coraline picture!

Freebie, er, Monday?

2009-05-11T10:35:00.005+01:00

That'll do! I did take the pictures on Friday though.

This lovely handmade scarf has been hanging around in my house for a little while, and I haven't yet had a chance to wear it, so because the weather is all scarf-like (yeah ok, whatever!), and anyway it's a nice, light, spring scarf which could dress up a funky outfit without adding too much warmth, I thought I would give it away, to one of you lovely blog readers. Because I love you (but not in that way).

So just leave a comment before 9am, Tuesday 19th May and the usual random pickings will happen.

It's true!

2009-05-07T16:36:00.002+01:00

I stole this saying from Jen's friend Rita. But she seems like a groovy bird, so I don't think she'll mind.

I think I need to remind myself of that one more often, so I put it here for you.

(This was originally done in "periwinkle" and black, but it's come out peach and white on my screen. I hope you like it anyway!)

Day off!

2009-05-07T13:16:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow is my day off work - this week has been a 2 day week. Rock on! I need to have a project for tomorrow, so far I am going for a run, meeting the husband for lunch and then ordering my new bike.

I've had a look at a skirt pattern that I might run up (since I can no longer afford, but need, smart clothes for work), and I hope that I can use up some of my stash by making it.

Stay tuned for more crafty endeavours and things other than cats!

I am on ur pooter chair steelin ur warms

2009-05-06T15:58:00.003+01:00

The small furry one is still resident in the South. We tried and tried and cried getting her into her basket on Friday morning. I am minus the use of my left hand at the moment since it's been shredded by a petrified tabby mog. We had to leave in such a rush on Friday morning that we only had time to re-fill the cat tray and empty the box of cat munchies into her bowl, write a hasty note for the neighbour and skidaddle, leaving Mimi scared and hiding behing the fridge!

We arrived home last night and after a bowl-full of chicken she is our friend again. We came home with lots of cat toys and a new carry box, just in case she prefers this new one. DH is so amusing with her, he says he doesn't like cats, but he was playing with her and her new "dancing man" toy, singing her a song about the dancing man and making her jump to catch him!

The plan is now to take her to Yorkshire in the middle of June, by then we will be certain of the kitten situation and she may even trust us enough to go back in a carry basket for the long journey north.

Mimi

2009-04-27T10:15:00.004+01:00

On Saturday we went to a pet shop to look at tortoises. We came home with a cat.

The pet shop was selling kittens, which is something that I don't agree with in the slightest, but they all looked increadibly happy and healthy, so I was appeased! In the other corner there was a cat that looked scared half to death. She was crouched in the corner, all wide-eyed and shaking. Poor little mite. I left the shop really upset, and sent my Mum a text message asking if she wanted another cat, because there was a cat in Kilburn that needed springing from a pet shop! Mum agreed, and got quite excited about it, she's going through a stressful period and it's taking her mind off it quite nicely.

So we picked up the kitty on our way back from Sainsbury's. The girl in the shop was really upset at the state she was in, I was really upset to see the cat so sad and so the deal was done. I asked how they got the cat, and apparently her owner had come in with her kittens a few weeks ago, then a week later had brought the cat. The pet shop had originally refused the cat because she was so frightened and in a bit of a state, but her owner just dropped her on the floor and walked out.

When we got her home, we put her in the bath in her carry case until we decided where to keep her. We ended up allowing her the hall and kitchen (the kitchen doesn't have a door) so we put her in the hall, opened her carry case and sat and talked to her. She wasn't in any hurry to come out, she looked a bit dozy. I tickled her under the chin and she purred. Purring! This from the cat who had savaged half the pet shop staff and was quaking with fear and litterally crapped herself from being so scared. So she purred and purred and lay with her head sticking out of her carry case! After a little while she ran off for an explore and ended up under the kitchen cabinets. She only came out when DH and I were in the kitchen making dinner, so I let her into the living room and she sat under the sofa for the rest of the evening, even while we had friends round. She occasionally made herself known with loud meows!

On Saturday night we shut her in the kitchen and hall and she cried all night. Sunday morning, she was still under the kitchen cabinets, so I gave her a little cuddle. We went off to watch the Marathon and were out pretty much all day but when we came back she was still under the cabinets!

I thought I'd coax her out with a shoelace sprayed with catnip, she came out for a little play and a bit of a cuddle. Then she found the patch of floor where I'd sprayed catnip and the stoner-cat came out! She was so happy, so friendly and pestering me for cuddles and head-banging and tickles under the chin! While I was making dinner I found some turkey in the fridge, and she's been standing on her back paws for it. Now she won't leave me alone! She migrated to the living room last night and she's shut in there now so that she won't escape when we have the front door open. I was up a couple of times in the night and both times she was following me meowing for cuddles. She's washing, and happy and is a little pest most of the time but I'd rather have a pest than a scaredy-cat!

Cruisin'

2009-04-23T08:47:00.003+01:00

On Saturday we took a trip on the Thames from Westminster Pier to Hampton Court. We had lovely weather and when we got to Hampton we walked through the palace gardens to catch the bus to our friend's house for the evening.

2009-04-20T12:24:00.001+01:00

I made this beauty at the weekend. I'm very pleased with it because I am usually all out of inspiration for wedding cards, but this one came together quite nicely.

You're hot and you're cold, yes and you're no...

2009-04-17T09:55:00.003+01:00

I have been made redundant! But in a good way. In a way that I get my pay-out (not mighty, have only been working here nearly 4 years) and I still have A job, not my current job, but A job that is lower-paid (surprise) but doing basically what I do now but without one aspect. I am also only working 4 days a week; before this offer of a job-change we were asked to take a 20% pay cut, and either choose to work 5 days or 4 days for our 80% pay. Initially I chose 5 day week because I was on a reasonable salary, now including this paycut I have chosen to take the new job but "only" work 4 days a week. The management are dissapointed in me because I chose to work what they are paying me for!!! I am dissapointed in the management because THEY ARE HAVING A GIRAFFE.

I've applied for my Postgraduate Certificate of Education. I am going to be a teacher, specialising in Physics, but I will most probably be able to teach Physics, Science, Design Technology and Art. Physics pays better though.

It's all a little hush-hush since the announcements aren't made until Tuesday and nothing is technically finalised yet, but that's the plan. I might even leave a month early just to get my head together. If all goes well with the PGCE I will be out of here in 3-4 months. Cool beans!

Oh, and working only 4 days a week means that I will be able to do more crafting, I will be resurrecting my etsy shop from the coma it's been in for a little while and listing new items. There is so much possibility that I am actually pretty thrilled to be changing my life-course.

Ain't that always the way?

2009-04-08T09:58:00.003+01:00

We are facing redundancies at work. 33% of our little 12-strong work force will be made redundant in a couple of weeks.

We currently design and manufacture products for disabled people. www.demand.org.uk If anyone feels like donating some cash, so that there is more chance of helping more disabled people in the future, please go here www.justgiving.com/demand. Please spread the word, this awful financial situation is affecting everyone, all we want to do is help people and at the moment we are prohibited from doing this because of the current economics of this country, and the rest of the world.

Just happy!

2009-04-01T10:28:00.001+01:00

You make my toes smile =D
Originally uploaded by noflickr

I've nothing special to blog about, but I am indeed happy. No particular reason, nothing amazing happening, but most things seem to be on track and normal at the moment, and I am content.

I do other things too...

2009-03-24T11:24:00.004Z

I'm not just all about the shelves, although I must admit I do love them to death!

A couple of weekends ago the hubs and I hired Brompton folding bicycles. DH is thinking about buying one with his tax-free bicycle scheme at work, so he will save about 40% on the retail price. I, however, can't encourage my management to take up the scheme so I will be paying the full RRP on mine. We've only just decided that we're going to buy one each - at first we were only going to hire the one Brompton for DH to try out so that he can commute to work, then I thought, "Hang on a minute, I want to play!" so we hired one each. I was absolutely hooked! It turns out that I will be able to commute to work on the bike 3 days a week anyway, which would be ace for my fitness and a really fun and environmentally-friendly way to get to work. My motorbike doesn't use too much petrol, but I like the idea of using public transport and getting fitter. Mainly the fitness ;-)

Dom is going to buy a red bike, I would like to get an orange and purple one, however I think the purple colour that they offer won't work particularly well with their orange - the purple is kind of mauve/lavender rather than a deep blue-purple that is printed on their paper colour sheet. I'm going to have to see the purple in person before I really decide though, I think we might be paying a visit to a few bike shops this weekend.

The Shelves! The Shelves!

2009-03-23T12:10:00.004Z

I've been waiting 5 months for these babies!

Things of interest:

Top left shelf - Roadworks, Linda McCartney - brilliant photography book
Middle left shelf - Stroud Engineering Mathmatics - I often think about bringing this book to work to do maths at lunchtimes. I'm a freak, I know!
Bottom left shelf - Ceramic Sausage dog - I don't know why, I just like him!
Bottom right shelf - The Art of Looking Sideways, Phaidon (fat red and white cover) - nice inspiration book
Middle right shelf - Strawberry Milkshake, Heidi Kenney and a drunken owl that I won in a giveaway.
Top right shelf - my paperback addiction, the shelf is full now and there are more books to find homes for!

And so it begins...

2009-03-13T08:54:00.004Z

My husband and I are running the Bupa London 10,000 this year, and we are raising money for DEMAND - Design and Manufacture for Disability. DEMAND makes bespoke pieces of equipment for people with disabilities free of charge to the individual, whether this equipment is to help with every day needs such as toileting or bathing, opportunities such as Paralympic shot-putting and target shooting or recovery from injury.

This year is proving especially tough for DEMAND, they have only reached 50% of their target income per month this year. DEMAND cannot continue to transform the lives of people with disabilities without YOUR help. For further information about DEMAND please visit www.demand.org.uk and to sponsor me and my husband, please visit www.justgiving.com/jenniferfee

Your donations are greatly appreciated however small.

And if that doesn't get you to donate, Alan Davies, yes THE Alan Davies of QI fame, who doesn't know me from Eve started us off with £20 so dig deep please!

2009-03-02T10:53:00.002Z

I made this on Friday for a sweet little birthday girl who turned 3 yesterday. I ended up playing photographer at her party which was really good fun. Kids are cute!

Yesterday we took a trip to a cemetary (like you do...) and found Brunel's grave. I also met up with my crazy running friend - she's running 4 marathons in 2 months. Absolutely bonkers!

I've been tagged!

2009-02-18T08:37:00.004Z

By the lovely Jen from Painted Fish Studio.

It's the old 6th photo folder, 6th photo thingo. So here goes!

This is me on Carbis Bay beach in Cornwall. My parents-in-law live there and DH took the picture, this is why I am so small! We took this pic at Easter 2007! There are some other lovely photos in the folder which remind me how nice staying in the UK is. The weather in 07 was fantastic, or at least at Easter - I'm wearing a vest for heaven's sake! I haven't worn a vest in the past 18 months!

Tornado 60163

2009-02-17T14:57:00.004Z

MY steam engine! I built it! (Well I filled and sanded the wheels and reamed bolt holes in the bogey and radiused most of the frames and spotfaced bolt holes etc etc)

I look quite demented in that top picture - it was the first time I'd seen the thing working and I worked on it 9 years ago so of course I got a bit emotional! The platform was heavingly crowded with most folks staring at me, and someone said, "Oooh she's crying!". Yes well, there you go!

A lovely policeman took this photo for me at Waterloo.

I'm back!

2009-02-09T15:32:00.002Z

I have returned from the arctic wastelands of er... Kent!

We had a lovely time, and we didn't actually get that much snow. I'm really dissapointed actually.

I came back to some book love though, The Reader, Twilight and Confessions of a Reformed Dieter, oh and Knitting for Dummies since I have to return my copy to the library!

I've spent most of the holiday stuffing my face with carbs and dealing with the subsequent carb comas! I'm back on my fit-wagon today but I decided to do a fast day, which is stupid cupid after a carb overload, my blood sugar is not happy at all. I eventually caved (I orginally typed "caked" - freudian!) at half 2 and had a cereal bar and an apple. I've just had another cereal bar because I was still hungry! Doh! I should've just had lunch.

While we were away I got an email that these delightful little mooks were reserved for me on etsy! Yipee!

They're from I Love Grey Skies

Bouncy Bouncy Tigger

2009-01-30T10:21:00.003Z

but not a bastardised Disney Tigger. No thank you!

Right, so, anyway. This week I have been feeling 100% fit and well and full of tiggrrrrrrrrr. I've been to the gym, shredded most of my muscles, been training and put in 100% effort all week, I've even scheduled another private kickboxing lesson for tomorrow morning.

This weekend is going to prove quite busy (which is just the way I like it really!). This afternoon I have to print some martial arts babygros, then I am going for a meeting to discuss a photoshoot on Sunday, more graphic design and mma newsletters. This meeting will involve copious amounts of milky tea and fish finger sandwiches - he knows how to woo the girls!

On Saturday I have my lovely private lesson, then I have to have a bit of shopping time, then I will be packing for our week staying in Canterbury! We booked this holiday straight after we came back from Christmas because I was still recovering. However right at this very moment I don't feel like I need a holiday, but it will do us good because we haven't had a week to ourselves for a very very long time. The forecast is for snow and highs of 0 degrees on Monday - I hope this cottage has some good central heating! I hope the snow is beautiful because I want to take lots of pictures and walk and draw.

Sunday is the photo shoot. I've kind of been dropped in it at the last minute - there was supposed to be a "professional" photographer coming in for an hour to take photos but in the end it hasn't happened. On Tuesday Lee said, "Oh, did I tell you the professional photographer isn't coming?" er no. No you didn't! So in the end old muggins gets to do the photos, which I will love to do - and it's given me a great excuse to buy this:

which I have been thinking about getting for a little while. The photoshoot, plus the fact that the holiday cottage in Canterbury has wireless internet - plus the fact that I want to do some photoshopping/illustrator work while we're away meant that I finally splashed out. Not sure what the hubs will say, but it's bought now and I've installed and uninstalled a lot of things. Heh.

Next time I blog I might be in Canterbury, writing from Jemima the pink laptop!

2009-01-26T10:21:00.003Z

Thanks for your lovely comments on my fairy cake card. I'm going to design a few more then get them printed at photobox since they can get them shiney!

My hubs just e-mailed me about a Science Museum Late - they are demonstrating Kendo on Wednesday (just give me a big stick and I'm anybody's!) so I replied, "Oooh Kendo with BIG STICKS." He sent back, "Yes, they’re going to fight the dinosaurs from the Natural History Museum in a Godzilla-style Battle Royale!" - cool!

I'm actually feeling really loved-up this weekend, which is not something I usually admit to being. Usually we rub along and are best of buds, but this weekend I've been feeling sappy!

We had a major shopping spree on Saturday, we did Oxford St AND Ikea! Lordy! I bought some backing papers for some photo backgrounds but didn't get chance to take any photos this weekend. We bought some shelves in Ikea and a lovely lampshade. Domestic bliss!

Health and fitness-wise I feel like I am doing really well. I've been food journalling all week and I seem to have lost the "must eat this, right now!" thing. I didn't make it to the gym on Wednesday but we did go for a 15 minute craprun yesterday! We are training for a 10K at the end of May and yesterday was our first training session. I bought some new clothes on Saturday - a jumper that fits really nicely now, a jersey skirt that I can just about get away with at the moment and two jersey dresses that would look better with some pounds off. I'm looking forward to wearing clingy dresses again soon.

Feedback!

2009-01-22T14:14:00.003Z

Well I tried to just do a little one click box for just this post, but it doesn't appear to work like that....

Anyway, what do you think to my new fairy cake card?

Fewer words

2009-01-22T09:36:00.005Z

Treasure! I found this when I was clearing out a drawer last night. It's strange, but I was thinking about this the other day - I wondered if I'd given it to my parents for safe keeping while we were in the tiny house, but I've found it now, so I don't have to admit to them that I didn't know where it was for about 2 years! It originally belonged to my paternal grandmother who died when I was 4. I'd always been fascinated by it as a child and I still really love pocket watches. My Dad decided to take it to a watchmaker to get it fixed and gave it to me as a wedding present.

This is the first Apple Mac! Aren't you glad you're not using this? Apparently it was the second computer to use the WIMP interface (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer), the keyboard is about 30cm wide so it's a very tiny thing.

The first laptop! It's bigger and heavier (26lbs) than my sewing machine! If you're wondering about the 1980s computer equipment we went to a tour around the Science Museum stores on Tuesday - very interesting and made a change from front kicks!

Hopping on the diet bandwagon and other confessions

2009-01-20T15:20:00.002Z

I haven't really done any "honest" blogging this year so far. The first two weeks of the year were pretty average, I was struggling to get back into the swing of things and I was feeling a little bummed about my birthday. Fortunately the little party I was planning was fabulous anyway, and showed me what quality friends I have, rather than quantity.

My health is steadily improving and I'm finding that I feel pretty much ok. I can now train 3 times a week without feeling wiped out, so this week I am re-entering the gym. I have had to sacrifice (ooh that's a little harsh!) my private lesson because we are going to a behind the scenes tour at the Science Museum tonight and in my quest for balanced living, I figured I could go to a museum instead of work on my 2nd Dan training, just for once.

My 2nd Dan training is coming along quite nicely - we've been practising full-contact front kicks since before Christmas and I am training in my head for them (does that sound wierd?). Basically because I can't get to the dojo tonight, I think about doing front kicks. I visualise myself performing them with speed and power and knocking Lee over when I kick the pad. I have read that OAPs who visualised themselves doing bench presses actually increased the size of their arm and chest muscles without physically doing any lifting. In another study I read, 3 groups of basketball players were subjected to practice, NLP (neuro-linguistic-programming) and practice and just NLP. The people who solely used NLP improved their shots the most. So it's not just hooey!

Like everyone else, I am working hard to get the Christmas pounds off, although mine aren't just Christmas pounds, but house pounds too (I'm never moving house again!). I'm aiming to lose about 20lbs before July. I have a boarding-school reunion coming up in July and I was a fat geek then - I want to wow, and mainly I want to feel comfortable with myself, rather than reverting to my geeky 17 year old self. I'm really looking forward to seeing my house mistress again, she is fabulous and bohemian and arty and just plain mad! We already write to each other, but her humour comes across more in person.

I am attacking the 20lbs in various ways - mainly calorie counting: I have started a food journal, which my very soul despises, but I realise that I have to keep track of what I eat. I'm aiming to stay under 2000 calories a day, which is very broad and not particularly restrictive. I am averse to "dieting". I spent too long analysing fitday for protein:carb:fat ratios, and zig-zagging calorie days and sweating in the gym for hours to go back to being obsessed with protein (as my husband put it). I'm looking for balance but also for weight loss, so I figure a little food journal is the least I can do. I've found myself pretty much binging on the weekends - a habit from my teenage years. I've thought about it a little bit this morning, and I will delve deeper into my psyche about why I see weekends as free and easy! This weekend we were invited out twice, which was lovely - once to our next door neighbour's and once to our friend's place in Tufnell Park. We were well fed by Sunday evening!

I've read about Eat Stop Eat - on various blogs and on Brad's blog itself, I've tried fasting once a week before Christmas but it was around the time that I was getting really ill so I stopped it because hypoglycemia and chronic fatigue did not go well together! I fasted yesterday and I fared pretty well, it must've been all that food I ate at the weekend - if it counteracts some of the binge then it's fine by me. I weighed myself in the gym on Monday and I appear to have lost weight, however I can't tell exactly how much because my first weigh-in was without trainers, and my second weigh-in was with trainers, but after a fast so the results will be increadibly kooky if I try to calculate anything at all from that, but the scales were registering 2.5kg less than the previous week, which I take heart in because I think a fast could account for 2ish kgs so net loss 0.5kgs but then, how much do my trainers weigh? Another 0.5kgs? Or more? Told you it would do my head in! But anyway, I know the scale weight is going down (not that important) and also my jeans are not so tight that I feel sick. All in all a pretty decent week.

Do I have any other news? Er. Well I bought and put together some Ikea furniture over the weekend - THAT was exciting! The rest of life is plodding on gently - no major crafting to report, no major sporting achievements to report, no huge house news, no baking done, it's all lovely and gentle and plodding. Just the way I like it at the moment - with Sundays the laziest days.

I leave you with this lovely, clever doggie who can sniff out cancer cells.

Stripes

2009-01-16T10:29:00.001Z

Think Pink!

2009-01-15T09:10:00.003Z

Mike the Monkey

Mellow Yellow

2009-01-14T09:23:00.002Z

A record that Dom found in the street on his way home... I made it into a clock with Ikea pieces.

Look at the comedy length of that belt! She never stops smiling!

Poiple!

2009-01-13T11:46:00.003Z

Okay, so thank you to those who put me right - it's Curious Bird who's running the colourful week.

Today is PURPLE:

The "purple ones" in my whopping great Roses tin. Every year we get a large tin of choccies at Christmas from work. This year I vowed to leave it at work until the new year. When I opened the tin to put some sweets out for my birthday party, it struck me that all the purple ones were on top!

Creativity

2009-01-12T09:16:00.002Z

I signed up for some colour-a-day photo thing for this week. Unfotunately I can't remember where I signed up otherwise I would link to the blog - and I haven't had an e-mail reply so I'm still not 100% sure who or what else is happening! I know the colours that I'm doing for the week, but apart from that, it's anyone's guess!

Anyway, today's colour is BLUE:

This is my Peyton & Byrne tin. I keep my knitting in it.

Kicking some 'tocks

2009-01-08T16:20:00.003Z

Any West London ladies wanna come for a tear-up? (Actually we don't smack each other around 'till at least the 2nd week.... )

Older but none the wiser!

2009-01-08T09:04:00.003Z

I celebrated my birthday with pampering at the Sanctuary Spa, shopping in Covent Garden then Chinese cakes and The Reader at the cinema. I'm not sure it could've been any nicer!

Christmas Pudding Cat

2009-01-06T14:22:00.003Z

She has the "pudding" body type. A bit Garfield-ish with very short legs. She likes running her scent glands over your nose and not bothering that her sharp teeth give you a good poking into the bargain! Her favourite place is sitting on top of your breasts nuzzled under your chin.

This is what happens when you get her stoned on Catnip and a hot fire!

One of my Favourite Fellas

2009-01-06T09:35:00.003Z

Just call me Oscar

2009-01-05T17:19:00.001Z

Waaaaaah, what a grumpy Gus.

I am off to teach the small ones how to kick and punch. Not sure what we're going to do but I will think of something, then home to bed and hopefully cheeriness.

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T16:12:00.002Z

I need prozac!

Penelope didn't start this morning - argh! It took until 12 noon to get an RAC man out to look at her, and of course he got her up and running in 2 minutes.

I'm trying to rally people round for my birthday party next weekend, so far I have 1 person coming. January really sucks for birthdays. Or maybe no-body really likes me! Or perhaps they just don't like my cooking! Heh!

I am celebrating on Wednesday with a spa day at the Sanctuary, where I shall wallow in self-pity and champagne then I am forcing the hubs to go and see The Reader (I don't think he'll complain too much if Kate Winslet gets her kit off!!) and if there's room after a champagne lunch and an afternoon tea I might get him to take me to dinner.

Stupidest Christmas present received: A DIY chocolate teapot kit, complete with instructions

Could've done better Christmas present: Socks, socks, socks and a scarf and some socks (really, from the same person!)

Most useful Christmas present: Brand new electric oven (actually I think this is the best present this year!)

2008-12-22T10:33:00.003Z

Yes indeedy folks - this will be my last post for a little while. It's my last day at work today - we don't have internet at home and we're away for Christmas and New Year. So I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and do hope that you have a lovely restful holiday.

I have planned 2 weeks of sitting on the sofa. I shopped for my Christmas wardrobe yesterday, 2 pairs of new pyjamas, 2 pairs of thermal socks, 1 massive long wooly cardigan and a big fat fluffy scarf. I'm also packing my blankie and 10 library books.

I shall see you in the New Year when I am hoping to be fit and full of vim and vigour. Wish me well!

Vivien, oh Vivien, oh have you met Vivien?

2008-12-16T10:21:00.008Z

This is the dress I wanted to buy for New Year. With this petticoat:

And I've been scouring the shops for a belt just like this:

It all started when I remembered I had some pink and red T-Bar shoes that I've never worn. I'm going to a New Year party and I wanted to wear them, so I thought a nice 50's dress with pink petticoats would be fab. Unfortunately I was shopping at the weekend with my mum and bought this:

Which is all very nice and slinky and "now" and sexy and lovely and cheap but it isn't a big swirly fluffy 50s pink and red dress with a cinch waist where I can look all burlesque and pouty.

*pout*

dress and petticoat from Vivien of Holloway

Calling all Londoners!

2008-12-09T13:52:00.004Z

Please come to a private view of some of my things in a Pop-Up shop in Islington.

"Oblong Gallery invites you to an Art & Craft Pop-up Shop displaying an eclectic range of objects for sale made by various artists and makers."

Preview shopping evening - 10th December (that's tomorrow) 5-9pm

69a Southgate Road, London, N1 3JS

Time to hibernate yet?

2008-12-09T10:02:00.003Z

My advent calendar is just my way of counting down the days until hibernation. Fortunately I am having a bit of a quiet time at the moment - I just need to bake some cookies for 3 people, make a few pin badges for my kickboxing kids and bake my Dad a birthday cake.

I've had a bit of luck with some of my craftiness - my teacup candles and some printed teatowels are going to be featured in a gallery in Islington up until Christmas. I'm not expecting great things from it though, but it will be nice to have other people see them.

Tonight we are off to a friend's house for sausage and mash. Oh the yumminess comforty food. It will be nice to be looked after for a little while.

"Like a Fox in a Hen House!"

2008-12-03T09:20:00.002Z

On returning from the supermarket a couple of weekends ago, this is the sight that greeted me in the kitchen! I'd only asked for the new oven to be plugged in!

6 hours later we'd stripped the whole wall! Unfortunately the laminate layer of 70 years of wallpaper and paint was surprisingly adhesive in places. On the plus side I've gained half an inch of kitchen!

The title comes from my husband's exasperation at my Dad! He really is like that in a place that needs a little renovation - I think we were lucky to escape with the walls still standing! Dad starts on the bathroom next weekend...

Happy December!

2008-12-01T10:42:00.004Z

Diana, looking pretty amazed with my culinary skills!

I forgot to open my advent calendar this morning - I have something to look forward to this evening, along with some printing of cards.

Apart from lying in bed all weekend I did at least manage to accomplish one thing - I baked a cake! Oh lordy is it fabulous.

I do apologise that I have been sadly lacking with the posts recently. It would appear that I have a recurrance of Chronic Fatigue or ME, or "yuppie flu" whichever you want to call it. Things may be a little quiet around here. They are definitely quiet on the crafting front, and they are non-existent on the training front. I am barely keeping enough of my shit together to get to the 2 lessons that I teach each week.

Is it Monday?

2008-11-24T15:14:00.002Z

This has been my past week. I don't know if it was a bug or my body fancied a week sleeping the house move off - but I have been comatose since Monday evening.

I'm back to work and I feel slightly better - I can walk up the stairs without collapsing and my resting heart rate is back down from 80 bpm to 58, which is a relief.

Have some toast!

2008-11-14T09:05:00.002Z

Don't have a cow!

2008-11-12T12:05:00.003Z

My old stinky fridge has a new lease of life. It was the life and soul of the party, holding all the drink.

Warning: Contains Rambles

2008-11-06T15:32:00.002Z

I predict burnout in approximately 26 hours.

Westfield shopping centre was nice though. I wore my prettiest Primark frock and we traipsed the aisles for a couple of hours before fainting through lack of dinner. The centre itself is nice and airy and spacious, there are plenty of flagship stores there, an UGG shop, a Crocs shop and all your other high streety goodness. I paid a visit to Topshop where I stumbled across a leather biker jacket just like the one my parents promised me if I lost weight when I was 9 years old. Unfortunately the biggest size they had was a smidge on the small side, so looks like I still have to lose weight if I want a biker jacket.

Predictably we ate at Gourmet Burger Kitchen, even though we tried not to eat there, but the lure of burgers and fries with mayo and thick milkshakes proved too much for me and I wasn't really excited by tapas or food that had to be thought about for more than 2 minutes. My brain was in steak gear and wasn't having any of this fussy malarky drizzled with goo - just give me meat!

Last night I went to collect a futon that we've bought second-hand for the sitting room. We spent the evening putting it up (and suffering concussion from the thing falling apart onto my head) and giving it a good clean and spray with febreze. I am thinking about getting some custom fabric from Spoonflower to re-cover it with. At the moment it is blue, and reminds me too much of the futon we had in the last place we rented that had a very suspicous stain on it. Eew.

I also took some LOMO pictures of being stuck in the traffic for the Scavenger Project, clearly I haven't got any to show you because they are still in the camera (damn you 1960s slow technology!).

Tonight is kickboxingness - if anyone's in the West London area, I teach a ladies class on a Thursday, it's very good and non-scary; if you're interested you know who to pester!

The weekend proves promising, if indeed a little tiring. Tomorrow evening we are going to see Mr Scruff (in the clothes I bought at Westfield) at the O2, then on Saturday we (I) will be cleaning, tidying and preparing for the housewarming/anniversary/birthday party that we're having. We're expecting somewhere between 16 and 2 people to turn up! Jenn was right - no-one really RSVPs any more!

Lovely ladies!

2008-11-05T13:23:00.002Z

Over at Tollipop, Kirsten is having a beautiful giveaway! If you leave a comment to enter her giveaway, please mention that you saw her on my blog. Please please! There might be something in it for me, and there may be something in it for you ;-)

It's not easy, being green

2008-11-03T09:57:00.003Z

But that's the colour I want my bedroom walls!

Things that are happening apart from decorating.

2008-10-31T13:45:00.003Z

Wait. Now let me think...

There must be something, come on now... Well I have been training in the arts of martial. I have Goals to complete before Christmas. They involve hitting and kicking things Very Hard.

Last night the hubs worked late - until 2am in fact. So late that it was indeed early.

Oh yes, and it is the husbandido's birthday on Tuesday so tomorrow I have to make his cake, which will either be a raw food cake (er. Yeah.) or will mostly be made out of icing, because there is still no cooker. The latter is probably going to be the best option because he has mentioned to me that he could eat fondant icing all day. I shall take him at his word and buy enough packets of icing to create a cake entirely made of icing! It shall be magnificent! Of course I could actually make him a fried cake, but that sounds a bit yucky!

For his birthday/our anniversary we are going to visit the mighty Westfield Shopping Centre. Frankly I could think of more romantic things to do but there is a Gourmet Burger Kitchen - who am I to argue? And of course there will be purchases of items "because it is our anniversary". I have actually already received my anniversary present which was rather sweet of him. We've been trying to buy lots of things in Habitat because we've got money-off vouchers that run out today. I've really fancied one of those laser-cut flowery lampshades for ages and ages and now we have, you know, lamps, to put it on it is obviously the time to buy it. Unfortunately we almost came to blows over whether it is a) nice and b) value for money. I lost the argument at the weekend, however on Tuesday he rang me up to ask if I wanted one for our anniversary and was checking to see that I hadn't already bought one (he knows me far too well!). So that's sweet! Although I'm not sure "lamp shade" really constitutes a romantic anniversary present, but it's got to be better than straw!

Red and Yellow and Pink and Green

2008-10-29T16:19:00.003Z

Purple and Orange and Blue... These are all the tester pot colours I've bought and more! Tonight I am going to start with the undercoat in the bathroom and paint the bedroom in more shades of green, although to be honest "Kiwi Burst" looks an awful lot like "Lime Zest" which looks like "Lime Fizz".

However there is no mistaking "Lemon Chiffon 1" which I have renamed "In Your Face Yellow". The guy at the mixing desk today said, "Is that to save on lightbulbs?" to which my answer is a resounding yes! The exterior light shines into the bathroom after dusk anyway, and since we don't have any blinds yet we don't actually switch the bathroom light on, we just bathe in the half-light of security light through frosted glass. Sounds romantic, no?

We've also got a bright red tester pot - I am going to paint a big heart on our living room wall for the house party and have people write anniversary/birthday/housewarming messages in it!

I'm BAD!

2008-10-27T16:39:00.002Z

You know it, come on!

I'm only wearing one fingerless glove*. It's cold in the office and that's all I can find.

I have had a weekend filled with in-laws and sleep deprivation and plumbing. All I want to do is hide under my duvet and the weekends are never long enough and can't we have enough economic unrest that we only get to work a 3 day week? I would be quite happy with that as long as I could keep my little house and its duck-down duvet.

* ETA: That is only as in "Only one of two", not only as in "I am nekkid apart from one fingerless glove". It's far too cold for that.

Tagged!

2008-10-24T18:18:00.004+01:00

How exciting... I have been tagged by Cloudhopping

The rules are as follows:

1) Link to your tagger and list all these rules in your blog.
2) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by including links to their blogs.
4) Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Here are my wierdy facts!

1. I can do box splits and I'm very proud of the fact - as my friend says, I'm good at parties!
2. I'm currently only eating 6 days out of 7 and donating the money from 1 day's food to charity.
3. I've always wanted red, curly hair. Fortunatley I'm halfway there with the curls!
4. Some days I'd just rather be by myself.
5. I'm an insatiable reader. If I don't have a book I will re-read the closest to hand.
6. Following on from 5, when I started senior school and discovered the library I took 8 books out on the first day!
7. I get intimidated teaching people kickboxing - I still feel like a fraud!

I am going to tag the following bloggers:

1)painted fish studio
2)Made by michelle
3)My Little Corner of the World
4)Naughty Hippo
5)Peapods
6)I love Grey Skies
7)Big Girl Feet

Insanity!

2008-10-24T10:53:00.003+01:00

We are going to have the most wierd house in the world, ever! Seriously, all that art and now I've gone and bought some vinyl cow stickers to vamp up the stinky fridge, and I've also bought enough to stick onto the new washing machine (I think I ordered a white one) that's being delivered tomorrow.

This weekend is going to be a crafty one - I've got to stay behind at work tonight to do some screen printing since my Keep Calm and Carry On cushions are selling like hot cakes, as are the tote bags. I'm also filling out my first sale or return order for a retail shop just off Carnaby Street in London, how very exciting!

This morning my paint samples arrived in the post - the house is going to look like a patchwork quilt after I get my hands on it. All I want to do it paint, I want it to look nice, not like some scummy messed-up house that other people have lived in! I've almost painted over the brown gloss(!) paint in the bedroom. I'm debating whether to actually paint over the rubbishy half-falling off wallpaper or to do a proper job first time round and strip the wallpaper and re-plaster the walls. I have a feeling we might be putting up with patchwork paintwork for a long time if I decide to re-plaster.

These are two more prints that I bought yesterday from yellowmonday on etsy. <3

Art for Art's Sake

2008-10-23T10:23:00.004+01:00

I just went wild with my paypal account. Somebody stop me! I thought I'd browse the art on DaWanda and etsy. I picked 3 prints from DaWanda (actually one is an original ACEO) and before I'd got to the 4th search page on etsy I'd bought 4 more prints. Really, that's it now!

Xmas

Mia

Enjoy. These three are from LaSrtaPil on DaWanda.

I'll blog the others later.

Calling All Winners!

2008-10-20T08:53:00.004+01:00

Ok, so everyone who commented on the Halloween PIF post gets a prize! Hurray!

That's rubyred, little pudding nappy cakes, candles by lisa, buffy, and painted fish studio. I think I've messaged you all in some form or another - if you haven't got the messages, please e-mail me your address.

Cheers ladies.

Last Chance Saloon

2008-10-17T14:21:00.001+01:00

This weekend is the last chance to comment on the Halloween PIF giveaway.

Go here to leave a comment.

This is a bit strange

2008-10-16T10:01:00.005+01:00

This be my DaWanda shop. Note the precious poster (one which I have had on my desk since April).

This be the Keep Calm Gallery website. This post says that it's "new" on 23/07/08.

I've lost all feeling in my legs. I don't mind we've both got similar posters, perhaps we both came up with it at the same time, perhaps there are only so many ways to draw a cloud... But I'm pissed that they're getting more net exposure than I am, and I've only sold 1 of these prints since I've had them on etsy and DaWanda from April.

Le sigh.

It's the little things...

2008-10-15T16:39:00.000+01:00

SPROING!

2008-10-15T14:18:00.003+01:00

At last, I will be able to sleep soundly - no more worrying about house buying, no more worrying that the hubs won't like the place (he loves it), no more uncomfortable rock-hard airbed that gives me stiff and aching hips and pins and needles in my arms! I won't be banging my head on the ceiling either, which was a hazard in our old place. We are off to Ikea tonight to blow a wedge on furniture. We've finally settled on this bed since it is solid pine (I insisted it was solid wood), and also has storage (the hubs insisted on that one - I think he is tired of all my junk...)

I have great plans for the bedside tables which will be hacked to a certain extent. With the drawers going all the way to the headboard you would lose the top drawers if you put tables next to the bed. Fortunatley Ikea have matching bedside tables that are on metal legs (which are most probably self-assembly and don't actually have to have the legs attached) so I am going to mount those babies on the wall next to the bed so that we don't lose that lovely storage space.

I also stumbled upon a bright yellow shower curtain which will brighten the place up a treat. Not that we actually need a shower curtain since the shower unit is broken. I am settling for a shampoo spray attached to the taps to wash my hair. I'm also considering painting the bathroom bright yellow and leaving the tiles white. I think that should be quite sunny and not too overwhelming since the bathroom suite is white and half the walls are white tiles. I've sent for FREE paint samples from Crown (rock on Crown, love ya!) and I will be trying them out ASAP. I'm dying to get just one area sorted, even if it's just the cupboard for my bike gear! I can't wait for the weekend...

I'm here!

2008-10-14T09:10:00.002+01:00

I haven't forgotten, honest!

I have been busy moving into our new (grimey) house. At least it's our grime!

Photos to follow in a little while, I'm busy catching up on a billion e-mails and, like, work!

Party like it's 2009

2008-10-06T17:25:00.000+01:00

New Calendar for 2009, not sure whether to print it yet...

Halloween PIF

2008-10-06T15:54:00.003+01:00

I have some creepy goodies to give away, not a lot, just a little.

Five commentors will get a creepy trick or treat bag sent to arrive just before Halloween. So leave a comment before Monday 20th October and you might be lucky!

Brixton Art Fair

2008-10-06T11:01:00.003+01:00

Unfortunately it was a bit of a wash out, but we had fun and it was worth going to Brixton just so that we could eat cheap, good, chinese food at Speedy Noodle!

Wear Sunscreen

2008-10-03T15:02:00.001+01:00

I remember listening to this when I was 15 (that's 10 years ago). What can I say? It's all true.

Some random ramblings

2008-09-29T16:01:00.002+01:00

DH and I walked about 8 miles on Saturday, mainly to the shops and back

I have curly hair today, and have had since Friday - it's a record!

My external hard drive has died, 120Gb and 2 years of creativity down the drain.

I went to the gym this morning and did lots of Olympic lifts. I feel like a strong-girl - GRRRRR!

urm...

Geek Chic

2008-09-25T11:45:00.001+01:00

If I was feeling in any way flush - or even just normal, then I would be buying myself this:

As it is I will just have to lust over it for a little bit longer (and until I figure out if the length of it is right - I have humungous wrists).

My week so far...

2008-09-24T11:11:00.004+01:00

Has mainly involved this:

A little bit of this:

And an awful lot of this:

That is actually me doing the kicking in the first photo, I do a lot of BJJ but this photo I took of my instructors is too good not to share, plus I have don't have any photos of me wrestling. I can also do the splits like this little guy but I am not as photogenic!

I'm doing more martial arts to forget about the house nightmare that is playing out. More on that once I start to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Poorly Penelope

2008-09-19T12:54:00.003+01:00

My bike, Penelope is a bit poorly.

(this is my friend Bill at a NYE party.)

First of all, on Wednesday night, we were rudely awakened by the Police coming to tell us that poor old Nelly had been pushed over while she was parked in the street by some crazy madwoman! They took my statement and while there were only really a few scratches on my bike and the clutch lever had snapped off, it is going to come to about £600 to repair her! Sheesh! Because the woman is crazymad and known to the police, it is not likely that she is even going to go to court let alone be ordered to pay damages. Now I am left with the choice of paying my £250 excess and risk my insurance premiums going up if I get her fixed or putting up with a scratched-up bike.

I took her to the garage on Thursday morning to get her clutch lever fixed so that I could actually go to work, then they discovered that the cluctch cable was about to snap, so they replaced that for me. I got to work and took out my MOT certificate and saw that it was 2 days overdue. I booked her in for an MOT straight away. Unfortunately she failed her MOT and needs new brake discs which is going to set me back a few hundred quid. She also has a hole in the exhaust which is making her backfire - that's going to cost the same as the front discs to replace but, strangely enough, they didn't pick up on the hole in the exhaust on the MOT. The place I got her MOTed doesn't do bike repairs so I had to load her in the back of the transit van, take her to my kickboxing class, take her home last night and then to the garage this morning.

In the middle of the night I woke up thinking my right eyeball was on fire - I got up to take my contacts out and couldn't see, I now have a lovely lovely red eyeball! Fortunately I managed to get some drops this morning for it, but they taste foul once they've dripped down to the back of your throat. Ugh!

After I'd dropped Penelope off at the garage I had to find an HSBC to go into so that I could CHAPS the money for our house deposit to the solicitor. I paid for about 40 minutes parking thinking that I would only have to go to the counter. How wrong could I be? I queued up at the counter with my 2 forms of photo ID and marriage certificate and bills and cheque books and credit cards only to be told that I had to be seen by someone else. At 25 past 10 I was put on a list of people waiting, some people had already been waiting since 10am! At 11:10 I was finally seen by someone, after having to go and put more money in the parking machine! The whole transaction took less than 5 minutes and I'm sure the guy at the counter was more than capable of putting through a CHAPS transaction... Bleh.

On my way to the car I walked past a milkshake shop - they had over 150 flavours, which included Weetabix and Farleys Rusk! I chose a Fondant Fancy shake, because if there's anything better than a Fondant Fancy, it's a Fondant Fancy milkshake!

So after the bank trip things are looking up, since I got into work and have 2 etsy orders sitting in my inbox. I just have to figure out how to get to the bike garage on the tube and give my credit card a hammering.

(I've just been to my flickr account to find a picture for you, hence Bill up there with his clown tears, and I've got a message that my "I'd rather be napping" print has been featured on a blog. What a roller-coaster day today!)

2008-09-17T09:05:00.004+01:00

I've been on a bit of a spree - it's DH's birthday in, like, November so I went and got him this from interobang on etsy. I love it... So if he doesn't like it, it's mine.

It's naughtyhippo's husband's birthday tomorrow, but I only remembered yesterday otherwise I would've bought him a glass eye! He will just have to settle for other, almost equally cool, presents.

I've spent the weekend being Eine Kleine Hausfrau tidying and sweeping and cleaning and washing and ironing. We have given notice on our current place, so we have a month to move out. They are showing prospective tenants around today so last night was also spent in a cleaning frenzy.

Here's a small sneak peak of what I drew in the travelling journal - I got the idea from Rebecca's blog.

In case you can't read that:

I can do the splits every which way!
I really DON'T LIKE PEAS.
I can twitch my nose like a rabbit
I wish I could sing better
I want to drive America in a 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
I live in the city, but I really miss the country

Vote Vote, Like a Baby Stoat!

2008-09-11T11:00:00.003+01:00

That will only ring bells if you surf cuteoverload.com.

But anyway, my internet inspiration Heidi Kenney has been nominated as a "Craftiest Bastard" for a big craft show over in the states.

I just wanted to let you all (3 of you) know that you should go here and vote for "my paper crane".

Go on! Now. Do it.

2008-09-09T09:12:00.001+01:00

These are photos from the wedding I photographed at the weekend. Let me apologise for yesterday's post! I was uploading so many photos to photobox that Firefox decided to go a little mental on me! Let me tell you that e-mailing was no fun! The cursor kept jumping to the left, so I had to keep pressing the right arrow. After a few hours of that I simply gave up and posted in gobbledegook!

running

2008-09-08T15:28:00.003+01:00

running
Originally uploaded by flurogoddess

Ok, so I have decided to edit this post!

Firefox was having a hissy fit because I was uploading all my wedding pictures to photobox to create a book for the bride. I wanted to post this picture because it is one of my favourites from the day. I just snapped it quickly as they were running past, I didn't compose it or think about it, or even look down the viewfinder properly, but those sweet girlies running with their capes flying deserved a picture!