I can’t believe it’s December already. This entire year has gone by in a flash. Seems like only yesterday I was thinking about what I wanted to achieve in 2012!
Georgie is hoping for a white Christmas…
Category: Lifestyle
How to make a record bowl
I know some people may think of this as sacrilege but if you’ve got an old vinyl hanging around and want to upcycle then it takes just a few steps to turn it in to a funky bowl.
They make great gifts of Christmas!
Place your record over a tall mug and place in the oven (which should be pre-heated to around 120˚).
The label should be the only part touching the base of the mug. This will allow the record to take it’s shape.
It will only take a few minutes so keep a close eye on the record. Once it starts to soften, remove from the oven and leave to harden.
It should stay soft for a few seconds so if you want to mould it a little more do so, just be careful as it obviously get’s very hot.
And then you’re done…
A quirky record bowl perfect for filling with Christmas nibbles…
The latest must have beauty product – Fotoshop by Adobe
Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.
I don’t tend to weigh in on the use of photoshop in the media. After all, I’m a writer but still use a spell check and I don’t have an issue with singers using auto-tune or a builder using a hammer. I see them as essential tools of the trade.
However, I saw this video this morning and wanted to share…
We’ve all seen those ridiculous late night infomercials selling beauty products where the results are hugely amplified but in reality the before and after shots have just been subjected to a spot of photoshopping.
What do you think? Do you think the beauty industry should start shunning photoshop? Should adverts show real results?
You don’t have to rely on a healthy body image or self-respect anymore –
now that’s the power of Photoshop.
A real person, a lot like you.
I was going to write a blog post this evening about work but then I stumbled upon this video by Derek Sivers.
A real person, a lot like you.
It’s a gentle reminder to all of us that at the end of every computer – is a real person.
Something that people may like to remember when they’re leaving nasty comments on blogs or sending emails full of hate.
It’s dehumanizing to have thousands of people passing through our computer screens, so we do things we’d never do if they were sitting next to us. – Derek Sivers
It’s a sad fact that most of us (especially those who write or produce anything online) are used to the fact that there are people out there who will make nasty comments on almost a daily basis. One of my regular writing jobs brings out the same person time and time again. He clearly feels it worth his while reading what’s been published but still takes time out of (what I can only surmise as being very empty) day to leave a comment reminding me how rubbish I am (in his opinion, of course).
Although, this video isn’t really about those nasty little trolls, it is a good reminder in these days of virtual communication it’s more important that ever to start being considerate and to treat people the way we expect to be treated.
And be aware, people will ALWAYS see the negative comments. It could be a stream of 100,0000 messages but that one nasty comment will always stand out.
Think before you send.
Enjoy the video!
Autumn: Fall, leaves, fall
Providing that it’s not raining I love autumn. There’s something about the cold, crisp air, interlaced with bright sunshine that makes the world look beautiful.
‘Fall, leaves, fall’ by Emily Bronte
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night’s decay
Ushers in a drearier day.
THIS is why I took in a rescue dog…
A year ago we rescued a dog from Croft Kennels in Bridgend. His name was Scooby and he wasn’t treated very well in his previous home. He come to us with a LOT of problems, some he still suffers with, some we’ve managed to change. He didn’t like being near us, was very aloof and didn’t make a single sound (no barking, no whinging not even any panting).
NOW a year on he’s the cheekiest little dog you’ll ever meet. He’s loving, clever and VERY noisy.
This video was posted on facebook this evening and it reminds me so much of why we got Scooby. So many people had turned him away because of the way he looked and we just knew we had to take a chance on him.
It only takes someone with a bit of love and attention to really make a difference to a life – whether that be dog or human.
—
Scooby > Continue reading “THIS is why I took in a rescue dog…”
Living well…for less
One passion of mine is the art of living well for less. I write this as I’ve just seen a tweet about how awful that super scrimpers show is on channel 4. I couldn’t agree more. I watched one where they suggested splitting a cream tea for one just so you wouldn’t miss out.
Source: marthastewart.com via Rachel on Pinterest
Now. I don’t know about you but that’s not living well. Yeah, it’s living for less – but not well. If I go out for a cream tea I want my own and a glass of champagne to boot, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want it for less.
To me, living well for less is the following:
- Getting the very best for the best price possible.
- Savvy spending.
- Enjoying life whilst keeping on eye on the bank balance.
- Being healthy not buying something frozen just because it’s £1.
- Quitting the waste problem we have.
- Being mindful with spending.
Well…you get the picture.
I’d really like to do a few posts on living well for less…what do you think? What areas would you like to read posts from travel? Entertainment? Beauty? Dining out etc?
Your feedback dear reader is required.
x
How to: accept gifts with grace
I first wrote a version of this post last year on rachaelblogs and it’s proved so popular I thought I’d repost over here.
I just love giving gifts. I’m a hopeless secret keeper though, once I’ve bought a gift I just can’t wait for the recipient to receive it – which makes the run up to Christmas and birthdays a pain (literally). I first posted this blog post because of my (then) addiction to freecycle. I loved the way that you could pass on unwanted items and give them a new lease of life. But the more I was giving stuff away, the more I noticed that people weren’t in the habit of saying thank you. At least 4 people walked away with goods (not crap either) and didn’t even say a quick thanks. Just took the stuff and left. I’ll be honest, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I found that the act of giving was soon replaced with the frustration of people and their bad manners.
Accepting gifts isn’t an easy thing – I get that. It can be a minefield but here are just a few tips to help you accept gifts with grace…
Image via Pinterest
Simply – say thank you. You don’t have to deliver an Oscar worthy speech but just the words “Thank You” can go a long way. We live in an age of technology and communication – this makes the thank you a lot easier. By text, email or phone – to me a thank you is a thank you – however it’s delivered.
Don’t see gift giving as a competition – You can’t ever really “outgift” someone. Yeah you can spend more money, get someone thing bigger and better but if the sentiment isn’t behind your decision to buy a particular gift then its not worth buying. Mindful giving – that’s where it’s at. Continue reading “How to: accept gifts with grace”