January Scrapbook Tour

So the new year rolled around and we all know that that means new beginnings, new hopes and new hobbies.  I decided that one of my new year, new hobbies would be scrapbooking.  I've always loved taking photos and capturing memories. 

 

In the old days I remember taking my holiday rolls of film to the photo processing shop in town and waiting a couple of days to go and pick them up, excited to see what I'd captured.  When I got home I spent hours putting them all in photo albums with little receipts or memorabilia from my trip. 

 

In recent years, I've not bothered printing out photos, instead I store them on my computer, hard drive and in albums on Facebook.  This kinda made me sad as flicking through a photo album or scrapbook is such an enjoyable experience and one that just isn't recreated by the online or digital counterpart.

 

I decided to go down the Project Life route and I've really enjoyed the whole process of it.  I've seen some amazingly creative and wonderful designs on YouTube and various blogs and mine are definitely not on the same level - but that's ok. 

Here's a little video tour of my first month and what I've chosen to scrapbook or if you prefer scroll down for some pictures. 

 

NYE on the banks of the Thames in London with my sister

Greenoids assembly on WWII and his subsequent homework

Greenoids fun times

Unfinished but I love this page dedicated to Sparky and the snow

Some of the beautiful sunrises I can see from my bedroom window & journey to school

Missing some journaling but these are special memories of family time

 

 

The Weekly Vlog | Inspired To Scrapbook

One day I will get a vlog out on the planned day of Sunday! Ha. Yeah right Sara. It's late but finally edited.

How To Start Scrapbooking

What better time of year to start scrapbooking.  A new year, a new start, a new hobby.  So what exactly do you need for your new venture?

The Weekly Vlog | New Year In London

This will be my last New Year post... I promise. Did you see the fireworks in London? Weren't they amazing!

2015 Let's Be Friends

Another year, another list of things I'd like to achieve in 2015...

The Weekly Vlog #7

Last week I decided to spoil myself and buy a new vlogging camera.  I know, I know it's a bit close to Christmas to be buying myself something like that but I couldn't carry around that big old Canon 700D DSLR Camera that I have been doing. The camera I decided to go for was the Sony a5000.  So far I've really been loving it although I'm having a bit of trouble with the bits on the side that you're supposed to add a strap to as they rattle when I'm holding the camera. I might have to tape them down or something as I don't think they are removable.

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Follow along on YouTube for more weekly vlogs, hauls & beauty videos

The Weekly Vlog #6

Last weeks happenings are finally edited and all wrapped up in this little vlog.  I finally started my Christmas shopping last week - in fact I nearly finished it too!! Yeay, go me!

If this embedded video doesn't work for you click here.

 

I have so been loving all the vlogmas videos on YouTube at the moment. I'm so nosey and just love seeing what everyone's getting up to.  Do you like vlogmas videos? Who are your favourite to watch? I'd love to add some new vloggers to my watch list.

 

 

The (Late) Weekly Vlog #5

I've finally uploaded last weeks fun.  It was of course the one where Christmas finally hit - we went to the switch on of our towns Christmas lights and Sunday was Christmas tree decoration day. 

 

I'm always curious when everyone else decorates their tree. I like to do mine on the 1st December if possible but as that fell on Monday this year I did it on Sunday 30th November.  Some people complain at me it's too early but I like them up as long as possible.  When do you put your tree up? 

If this embedded video doesn't work click here to view directly on YouTube.   Check out Gemzicle Sprinkles on YouTube for more weekly vlogs 

The Weekly Vlog #4

It was a week of not much vlogging last week.  I've been so busy with work recently which has left little time to myself.  We did manage to half dress up for a Pirates and Princess kids birthday party on Saturday and it was also the week I attempted some long awaiting and much needed redecorating.

 

 

 

 

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The Weekly Vlog #2

This week I kinda epically failed at vlogging.  It's just so hard trying to remember to whip out my camera when good things happen.  I think it just takes time to get in to the habit of doing it. 

It was a week of back to work after a few days off which is always a bit of a bummer.  At the beginning of the week Mini Greenoid and I had two evenings where we went baking mad, making scones, a chocolate cake and what Greenoid describes as Green Spaghetti Pancakes (yeah my thoughts exactly!)

There seems to have been fireworks going off every night this week which has been great as I live opposite a field so I can look out at them all.  We went to a firework display down the road on Wednesday night which was cold but fun.  Talking of the weather, there's been a definite drop in temperature round these parts in the latter half of the week so I'm going to use that as an excuse to buy some new winter woollies I think...

I hope you enjoy this weeks vlog and if you have a vlogging channel I'd love to check it out so please leave it in the comments.

 

The Weekly Vlog #1

I've made it through my first week of vlogging! *Pats self on the back* I've loved this week so much and I'm so glad I decided to start vlogging.  It's a wonderful way to record life and all the little things that get forgotten along the way.

If the embedded video doesn't work here's the direct link

 

I had a few technical difficulties this week and I couldn't use some of my footage which I'm really bummed about.  I'm not the most technical of people and I get really annoyed if I can't get something working after a few attempts. 

 

I guess I'll see you next Sunday (Well I'll see you before on here but ya know what I mean)  I'd love to know what you think of my first attempt at any real editing.  It's not quite as easy as I thought!

High5 4 Friday

Happy Halloween!  I'm currently sitting on a train heading to London for the weekend which I'm super excited about. I just love that city! This week has been really enjoyable.  It's been a funny old week really.  It's October half term so the kids are off school which normally means a week off work for me but I've worked some of this week.  I feel like I've been really busy all week and not really had chance to catch my breath.  Let's take a little look at 5 things I've enjoyed this week.

1. Starting vlogging has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of this week.  I've always been a video/photo taker and have wanted to vlog/record little moments of life for such a long time.  I finally decided on Sunday to bite the bullet, stop wishing I was doing it and actually start doing it.  It's really made me open my eyes and enjoy the precious little moments in life. I would definitely recommend anyone who's thinking about doing it to just pick up that camera/iPhone and go for it.

2. I live in quite a rural area and I'm loving all the tractors in the fields at the moment.  Whenever I go anywhere in the car I see at least 3 or 4 tractors ploughing up and down the fields - it makes me happy.

3. I'm loving Awkward at the moment on Amazon Instant Video.  I watched the first season ages ago and this week I discovered that Amazon had seasons 2 and 3.  I've been doing some major binge watching.

4. I loved eating chips on Southport pier with Mini Greenoid.  It was a wonderful day on Tuesday and we headed out to Southport (after a failed pumpkin picking trip) to have a wander around.  We bought chippy chips and sat on the pier next to the carousel. Of course I caught the day on my vlog so make sure you check it out on Sunday.

5. Looking at Xmas trees.  Ok ok I'm sorry. I dropped the C bomb.  I have a rule that Christmas shouldn't be mentioned until November.  I'm a day early.  Shoot me.  One of the things I love about this time of year is visiting garden centres where they have delightful, sparkly, beautiful Christmas displays.  It makes me feel all giddy inside.

How's your week been? 

What are you planning for Halloween tonight?

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Success Breeds Jealousy

I'm skipping out on my usual #WIAW post today as I feel compelled to write this post instead.  So if  you've arrived here expecting to see my eats I apologise and you've have to hop on over to Jenn to get your fix of What I Ate Wednesday.

Whilst lying in bed this morning checking my Twitter feed and reading some articles I came across, what I consider, to be an awful article on the beautiful Zoella, AKA Zoe Sugg.  I'm not going to post a link because, well, it just annoys me.  If you want to read it you'll have to google it but in summary the writer slates Zoe for her Disney-fied-ness and hypocrisy uploading beauty videos and then advising young people not to fret about appearance.

I am 32 years old and not what I consider to be the average demographic for most fashion and beauty vlogs.  However, one girl who has had my attention for a long time is Zoella.  I have nothing in common with her - I'm quite a bit older and a single mum and yet I found myself reading her blog posts and watching her tutorials and vlogs.  There's one reason and one reason alone why I do this: I like her, and by her social media followers and huge success I am definitely not alone in this.  She's a positive, bubbly person that I genuinely enjoy watching.
 

It seems that suddenly Zoe's success has skyrocketed.  She's everywhere in the UK at the moment.  She's recently released her own beauty line, she's releasing a book next month, Girl Online , she's become a spokesperson for Mind, a mental health charity (you may have seen her sporting a red button in her vlogs recently), she's won 2 Teen Choice Awards, her face seems to be on the advert of every YouTube video I watch at the moment.  She's hugely successful and fully deserves every bit of her success. Is she squeaky clean and slightly Disney-fied? Possibly, but hey is that not a good thing for our kids to look up to?  She doesn't drink or smoke or do drugs.  She works hard and seems to be a genuinely nice, positive person.
 

As a mum of a 9 year old it scares me to think of the people our kids look up to today.  it's a crazy, scary world out there and honestly, if Zoe is being considered as not a good role model who on earth is? 
 

I was so disappointed with the article in the press this morning and as is so often the case in the Great British Press - they build them up to knock them down.  Zoe is nothing more than a 'normal' girl who started a beauty blog as a little hobby and it has expanded in to something that I'm sure was beyond her wildest dreams.  This article served no purpose other than to belittle and criticise a young woman who has made a success of herself.

If this journalist took time out of her busy schedule and actually watch Zoe's videos she would see that Zoe does not tell young girls and teenagers to plaster themselves in make-up - in fact she vlogs regularly with a bare face, spots and all, for the millions of young impressionable girls to see.  She teaches them that everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin.  Indeed it was only the other day that #barefaceandwhat was trending on Twitter after Zoe encouraged young girls and woman to be comfortable and confident with their fresh, bare faces. 

Zoe is undeniably beautiful, as are a lot of her vlogging friends, but surely these people are better role models than many in the public eye.  Glossy magazines are crammed full of pictures of airbrushed models and celebs.  I doubt very much that Zoe has ever airbrushed her videos or put together a script or tried to tell girls and woman what they should look like.  

Zoe shows us her life, albeit an edited version of it, but her life none the less.

She shows us that it's ok to be sad, happy, anxious, scared, excited and emotional. 

She encourages people to look to their inner beauty and not worry about what people think of them.

It's sad that, for this, she get's criticised. We should celebrate successful women, not knock them down.

Have you read the article? What do you think it?

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High5 4 Friday

Happy Friday peeps!

I hope you've had an awesome week so far and are ready for the weekend. 

 

Honestly, my weeks been kinda... bleugh. I've been a bit unwell all week.  Not majorly ill, but waking up every morning with a sore throat and a bit sniffly and coughy.  You know that ill when you just feel really sorry for yourself and want to curl up under a blanket with a nice hot drink. Bleugh, not nice.

 

But, on to the good things of the week...

 

1.  I'm starting to get excited at the prospect of Halloween.  I've been pinning all Halloweeny stuff to my Pinterest (follow along if you like. No. Really. Click the little link! Are you still reading? Stop. Go back and click)  Halloween is by far my favourite holiday.  What's your favourite holiday?  Do you have any Halloween traditions in your house?

 

2. I've really been enjoying peppermint tea this week.  I'm not a huge lover of tea or coffee but I do quite like a flavoured tea once in a while and seeing as Mr Weatherman seems to have suddenly remembered it's October and it's supposed to be cold here in the UK I've really craved them. 

3. There's nothing I love more than taking my duvet downstairs, curling up on the sofa with Mini Greenoid next to me, a bowl of popcorn in between us and a good film.  One night this week that's exactly what we did.  I say exactly but in reality, I'd no popcorn left and the film we watched was 300 which I wouldn't really class as a good film. (Mini Greenoids choice, I just went with it.)

4. As much as I've moaned about it not being summer anymore, I've been loving the dark nights.  There's something so wonderful and cosy about drawing the curtains, turning the fire on and locking the front door for the evening.  I've always said how lucky I am to live in a place that has such defined seasons.  In winter it can snow like crazy, spring is beautiful and full of life, summer can be gloriously hot and in fall the leaves fall and the world turns amazing shades of yellows and oranges.  I'd hate to live somewhere where it's hot all the time.  What's the weather like where you live?

5. I've been obsessed with watching make-up storage/collection videos on YouTube lately.  It's become a kind of obsession.  I love looking at all the different collections and how they store them.  Do you like watching make-up collection videos?

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

High 5 4 Friday

Happy Friday peeps!

Isn't Friday just the best day. It's got the anticipation of the weekend and a whole 48 hours ahead for us to do whatever we like.  If the weeks been particularly busy I know that come Friday I can relax with friends, do something fun with Mini Greenoid, get away for a few nights or just mooch about in my onesie catching up on TV or reading my favourite blogs.

Let's take a look at some of my favourite moments from last week.

1. Last week I mentioned I was going out on Friday night with a friend for MacMillan Coffee Morning (wine & evening dos are more my thing than morning coffee!) and I had such a fantastic time.  I hadn't been out and had a good gossip with her for a long, long time and it was lovely catching up.  It reminded me how much I need to take time out from things more often and just have fun.  I always feel like I need to be putting more hours in to my day job, or this blog, or my YouTube, or spending more time with Mini Greenoid.  Sometimes I need to do things just for me.

 

Excuse the grainy, dark, iPhone pics

2. My iPhone 6 plus arriving was definitely one of my highlights of last week. I was slightly nervous about how big it was gonna be and it is certainly big.  But I love it.

3. I booked tickets to London for New Year.  I adore London and try and get down there as often as possible.  My sister lives there which makes it a hell of a lot easier. I've wanted to be down there for New Year for a long time and this year I finally got tickets.  Eeek.  Just a little bit excited.

 

4. The cats are making me smile a lot recently.  If you follow me on Instagram you'll have probably seen a few of my recent cat snaps.  They're just crazy, mad and super fluffy.

 

5. The sunshine.  Oh my goodness, the sunshine.  Yesterday, as in yesterday the 2nd of October I actually sat in the garden in a strappy dress in the glorious sunshine and I applied sun cream to the kiddies.  Sun cream in the UK in October is practically unheard of!

 

 

 

 

 

 



An InLinkz Link-up

High5 4 Friday

Can I get a high five? A High5 4 Friday that is!! What awesome things have been happening this week?

1. First ones a bit of a cheat coz I haven't actually enjoyed it yet but... Today isn't just any Friday it's MacMillan Coffee Morning Friday. Now I don't do coffee and I don't really do cake (yeah really. I'm a savory kinda gal) so instead of a coffee n cake morning were having a wine and nibbles evening. Now I'm not promoting excessive drinking but hey, does this wine and nibbles not sound so much better than coffee and cakes - it does to me anyway! 

2. Zoellas beauty range lauches online today.  As a blogger it's so fantastic to see what people are achieving all through 'their little spaces on the internet' Well done Zoe! 

3. I went for a walk in the woods yesterday and ooo it was just lovely.  I'm finally embracing Fall. I stuck my wellies on and off I went. I had two 3 year olds in tow to make it more interesting. We collected conkers, made a pretend camp fire and swung on the vines like monkeys. Oh how I wish I had a 3 year olds innocent little mind.

4. Barry M Nail Polish. Just wow. All the pretty colours. LOVE! I bought quite a few, oops!

5. Don't you just love binge watching TV! I love Netflix and my current binge watch is The Good Wife. Have you seen it? I've just finished the third series. (Don't tell me anything that happens after that!!) I don't understand how Will has always got some hot chick in his bed?  Kalinda is one awesome girl and as for Peters mum, what's her name? ....... O yeah Jackie - she's a mother in law from hell ain't she!

What have you enjoyed this week? Let me know in the comments.

An InLinkz Link-up

High 5 4 Friday

Another week is (almost) over. I don't know when time started zipping by so fast. One minute you're a 16 year old kid just outta school, next your a 30 something woman with kid, job, responsibilities. Wow I'm feeling really old now.  It's got me thinking though.  We look forward to things. How many times have you said or thought 'I can't wait for the weekend' when it's only Monday morning, or 'roll on summer' on a frosty, cold January morning. My point is we wish our lives away. Take a moment today, not to wish for another time in the future but to enjoy a moment of today. Be thankful for something that's happening right now. Open your eyes, take a deep breath in and enjoy today. 

In the spirit of enjoying the moment lets take a look at 5 little things that have made me happy in the past week.

1.  Spotting 5 magpies on my morning run. I'm not sure why this made me smile but I just love spotting magpies. I've never seen more than 3 together before so I was super excited to spot 5.

One for sorrow

Two for joy

Three for a girl

Four for a boy

Five for silver

Six for gold

Seven for a secret

Never to be told

Does this mean I'm going to come into some money? So glad I put my Euromillions lottery ticket on! :D

I tried to capture a shot of them but they sadly flew away before I could get all 5 in shot.

2. Watching Mini Greenoid sleep. Ok ok I know this makes me sound like a creepy mum but really, who doesn't like to see their children peacefully fast asleep? This happened the night after I'd been shopping to buy Mini Greenoid some new pants. If you have kids you'll know what I mean what I say 'he's just suddenly grown out of all his pants' I had to buy age 11. Age 11!!! He's only 9 but he's suddenly shot up. Age 11!! He was a teeny tiny baby what seems like only yesterday. He'll be leaving home before I know it. I just needed to watch him and store it in my memory.

3. The smell of bacon. I'm a veggie but hey, the smell of bacon is still pretty amazing.  

4. The sunrise this morning. I think I've moaned (me? Moan? Surely not) about the end of summer on here enough. One thing I love about Fall and Winter are the beautiful sunrises I see when I open my bedroom curtains. It's a view I occasionally take for granted but every now and then I realise how lucky I am to look out of my window and see such beauty.

5. I think I'm finally embracing the start of a new season as another thing I've loved this week is shopping for a new Fall/Winter coat.  I've shopped online. I've shopped in real life. (I know online is real life but that's just what I call it when I visit an actual shop as opposed to the internet version of a shop)

I need something showerproof with a hood.  So far I've found these three beauties...

Wine Lightweight Parker £69 from Next

 

  

Hobbs Phoebe Parka in Winter Blue £149 from John Lewis

Superdry Bridge Coat £125 from Very This one hasn't got a hood but I think I'm kinda in love with it.

LIFE | Barcelona (Part 2)

 

I'm back with more Barcelona pictures!  I've already done a Barcelona | Part 1 which included my beachy time in Barcelona.  This post is about when we went inland slightly and up on the hills.

 

Having a 9 year old boy I tend to have to go to a lot of castles. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy castles myself, but I am kinda getting the feeling that once you've seen one castle they're all pretty much the same. 

 

We decided to head up to Castell Montjuic partly because 'there are huge canons there mum' and partly because I'd heard the views of the city were spectacular from there.  Mini Greenoids happy.  I'm happy.  Perfect.

 

One problem.  Getting there.  There were 2 options - walk through the gardens (not Mini Greenoids first choice) or the Teleferic de Montjuic.  The Teleferic de Montjuic is a short(ish) cable car ride up to the top of the hill.  Now, cable cars scare me.  I'm not the best with heights at the best of times and dangling from a cable kinda fills me with dread.  Saying all that, I did want to do it.  I think it's good to be a little bit scared of something but do it anyway.

I have to say it was enjoyable.  The views going up and down were amazing.  The whole city was laid out before us. 

When we got to the top we had a look around the castle and sat for a while looking at the city and talking about which parts we knew.  I have to say, it's definitely a trip I'd recommend if you're ever in Barcelona. 

The gardens leading up to the castle are, apparently, beautiful too.  So if you can't pluck up the courage to use the Teleferic de Montjuic there's always that option.

 

 

 

After the castle we headed over to the Olympic Stadium which is only a short walk away.  I knew it was free to get in and that's always a winner in my book for a tourist attraction!  There isn't much to do there.  There is, of course, a little shop and café there.  But it was just a nice thing to go and see.  When the Olympics were in London in 2012 myself , Mini Greenoid and my sister when to watch a few various events so it was interesting to go to Barcelona's Olympic stadium and talk about the Olympics.  

 

 

Do you enjoy city breaks?

Where's the best city you've visited?

Do you prefer relaxing on a beach or sightseeing?