Remember me...?

Hello bloggie friends! I can't believe it's been over a month since I've blogged!

For one reason or another I've had to simplify my life recently. In doing this I have been reminded of the things that really matter, the things that remain when you take out all of the 'filler' stuff. Here's what I'm left with

• Spending time with the IT guy
• Keeping in touch with other family using the phone
• Taking the sacrament on a Sunday
• Getting enough rest and sleep
• Eating dinners that feed us, but aren't necessarily fancy or time-consuming
• Going to work each day

That's about it. Who knew life could be so simple?

Simple pleasures, life's great treasures

Stampin' Up tastic!

The spend-a-thon continues. I'm surprised that the IT guy hasn't lost his patience with me yet. What can I say, I'm suffering with a severe case of the 'wanties' at the moment.

I think I may love my new Stampin' Up products the most out of anything I've bought recently

(maybe excepting the footed trifle dish! Behold its beautifulness)

With this set I can now make cards and gifts much more appropriate for each occasion, don't you think it looks super useful?

So pretty! This wedding stamp was on my order as soon as I saw it, it bypassed the wishlist completely! Now I can do really classy wedding cards and other wedding stationery in a flash.

I love to craft, it really makes me feel like I'm doing something for me. I try hard to do things for other people, but crafting is my indulgance and gives me my 'me time'. I don't get to do it as often as I would like but with the Bank Holidays (can't wait for the Diamond Jubilee!) approaching and some other time off work, I'm hoping to get a little more 'me time' than recent months.

Hope you've all been enjoying the nice weather and making the most of BBQ's, sun tans and ice lollies! It's going to cool down a bit later this week. Boo for putting away the flip flops, but yay for not having to take cold showers to stay cool!

E Bay venting!

Has anyone ever had a bad experience with an E Bay purchase? I never had until recently and it makes me so angry. We bought a tent via E Bay and collected it ourselves as it was far too big to post, and paid the seller in cash. When I get around to erecting the tent to check it (two weeks after purchase) there was a plethora of things wrong with it!

2 inch tear in on the underside of the groundsheet
1 inch tear to the shaped bucket for the porch area
1cm tear to the canvas on the top of the tent (covered with sticky tape)
In several places the waterproof tape covering the seams is coming away as there is dirt and grime underneath. This will need to be repaired before I use it otherwise it will let water in.
A green cleaning cloth/sponge was left in an inside pocket of the tent and has disintegrated a bit, leaving stains on the inside.
There are specks of mould scattered across the outside of the tent- I suspect this is because it was packed away damp after last use.
About 40% of the poles have orange rust on them and will eventually need to be replaced. These are stainless steel so I’m not sure how this has happened in two uses!

The seller claims that he forgot to mention the tear in the flysheet, but that this isn't a major issue as they have 'repaired it' with tent tape. Other than that he claims that his listing was accurate. Excellent condition, I think not. Dishonest seller, I think so.

I'm trying to negotiate a little money back to compensate for the various repairs that I am going to have to make, but since I wouldn't have bought a tent with all of these faults, I feel pretty ripped off right now.

What should have arrived

How I feel

About reading, again!

You may not know this, but I have lots of hobbies. I mean LOTS. So many that I sometimes wonder if I do any of them justice. The one that has been with me the longest though has to be reading. I love books- the smell of them (you know you've smelt books as well!), the quiet moments where you can lose yourself in someone elses world and the fact that you hold a wealth of knowledge in your hand. Favourite books are like old friends and I love them.
I don't think anything can top the excitement of a new book release, especially when it's a series that you love and follow.

That's me right now. I had a dispatch notice for a book that I preordered a few months ago. It's on its was people! Deep breaths.

The Mortal Instruments 5: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

I had hoped to save this little beauty for my beachy holiday next month, but I really don't think that's going to happen.

 

On an aside, how do my reader friends feel about buying books online? Morally speaking, I want to support the traditional bookshop. Nothing compares to being able to touch and leaf through a book, or browse shelves for inspiration on what you'd like to read about or learn next. But bookshops are being pushed out of the market by online companies with low costs and low prices, not to mention supermarkets selling books too (don't get me started) This is what I believe.

On the flip side, I also believe that spending an extra 30% on a book that can easily be ordered online seems crazy! The (relatively) newly married, newly mortgaged side of me just can't justify it. Conflicted much?

What do you think?

Almost the weekend folks!

April showers bring May flowers

You know the saying about 'April showers bring May flowers'? What happens it there's torrential rain in April? And since I've not had chance to plant my flowers for this year because there hasn't been a dry day for ages, I don't think those May flowers will be in my garden.

I've been feeling a bit down recently and thinking that April has been a pretty sucky month. But then I got thinking, and April held a few nice things for me too...

Easter

A shopping trip with a good friend

Yes, I laid everything out to take a picture, deal with it.

 (a shopping trip that included lots of bargain chocolate!)

A good sort out of my clothes. Have you ever seen a more beautifully organised wardrobe? I cleared out anything that didn't fit or that I didn't  like anymore. Just in time for the car boot sale that the IT guy and I are selling at on May Day.

The postman has been bringing me lots of lovely things in the post this month, this is yesterday's delivery

My conservatory is playing greenhouse for a few weeks until the weather is warm enough to plant my tomatoes outside. Look how big they're getting, I need to repot them already!

So maybe April hasn't been so bad after all, and it seems to have gone by very quickly which suits me just fine.
I hope April has been good for you lovely people too!

"Reading well is one of the great pleasures that solitude can afford you"

Anyone who knows me knows I love books. Fictional, inspirational, instructional (is that a word?)- any type of book is my type of book. Obviously I have my favourites, for example I don't read very many biographies, but broadly, I love books. I carry around a list in my handbag of books that I'm on the lookout for in charity shops and the like. I have two main weaknesses- recipe books and craft books.

I thought that today I'd share with you a few pictures that I snapped around our home- it turns out that we have books all over the place!

 

Does anyone have any good ideas about how to store books?

Spring has sprung!

Easter in two weeks people! Easter for me means that spring has arrived, and summer is next!

Today I put out our Easter display in our living room. Each year we add one or two new items and I love getting the decorations out and making a new display our new things.
Here it is

You can blame this beautiful weather that we're having for the icky reflection in the picture

Each year the IT guy and I go to the woods to choose the perfect branch for our Easter tree (I guess that makes it a tradition) The handmade bunny has to be my favourite, even though he isn't anything fancy he's just darling.

What do you do to prepare to Easter?