Sunday, March 02, 2008

French Fancy

Hello! You know how I love Momiji dolls? Well, I found out about a competition to design 3 new dolls and this is my first one. She's called French Fancy and loves crusty french bread with a selection of cheeses- camembert is her favourite!
On the 'no TV' front things have gone well. I've only had a couple of relapses when I have really wanted to watch the news as I feel like I don't know what's going on in the world! I also confess to watching one documentary about Baby Bible Bashers which made me feel really sad and I wished I hadn't watched it!
The TV ban has really made me realise how much utter rubbish is on TV and how I really can do without it. I've gone out more during the week- last week I went to the Duffy gig in Leeds- without having to think "oh, I can't go out because so and so is on!" (Which sadly is sometimes how I used to feel if I was addicted to a certain programme!) I am going to go back to TV but will be choosing what I watch much more carefully and tuning in a lot less often. Try it yourself- you CAN do it! x

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Blogs I like


Sharing blogs is part of the fun of blogging and often you think you may be the only one who knows about a blog. So today I thought I would share the Book The Cook blog with you.
If you've not heard about him before David Hall was on Masterchef last year and has set up his own business where you can hire him to cater for you if you're holding a dinner party. He will come round to your house and cook and judging by the recipes on his blog it would be a very delicious meal! I only know about him as he is a friend of a friend of James! His blog is great to read and he's very passionate about food so even if you're not going to attempt any of the recipes, have a look!
Since we started the TV ban over a week ago we have been cooking from scratch more often and last week we made the spicy pea, mint and apricot stew. It was really tasty and we will definitely be making more from the blog. I should have taken a photograph but we ate it up far too quickly!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Monday, February 11, 2008

Nice new noticeboard



Yesterday afternoon with my new found time (see post below) I covered a magnetic noticeboard with this quirky, seventies style fabric which I bought from Frau Tulpe in Berlin. Now I have had this noticeboard (from a well known Swedish furniture outlet) for at least 10 months so I am very glad I've finally got it covered! Next on my list are some cute magnets and then I can use it!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

No TV for a month


Do you think you could go a whole month without watching any TV? That's what James and I have decided to do and we began our quest on Friday evening.
Now I do like my TV- documentaries, comedies, cookery programmes, a bit of reality TV, the odd soap and the news- and during the week a typical night has been spent flopped on the sofa watching around 3 hours of TV before going to bed. Our excuses? We are tired after work and it's the easy option during the dark winter nights to just crash out and switch the TV on.
Meanwhile, we always complain that there's never any time(!) to do the housework, do exercise or go out for the evening. Craft projects I have been wanting to do for ages remain untouched and my blogging has also been rather sparse.
Now maybe it's the fact that we've just returned for a great holiday in Berlin, our favourite, creative city that has got us all motivated, but whatever it is as long as we stick to it I think our lives will become more interesting and our time much better spent. Already we are feeling happier and more positive about all the time we've now 'found' to do whatever we want. It sounds ridiculous but I'm feeling quite excited about our evenings now and how we can spend all this lovely, free time we'll have. And it's as simple as not pressing a button!
You'll be hearing from me very soon.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Peaches

Ooo what an awful few days at work...these floods have caused real havoc and it took me 2 hours to get home last night which is double the usual time...then this morning I had a horrible early start of 5.45am to make sure I got to work on time as all the trains were cancelled and I had to get a rotten coach instead! And then I get home tonight all tired and moody, only to find I've been sent a beautiful new friend from the lovely, generous Ladysnail.




Thanks Ladysnail! She will be a big sister to this cute keyring I got for Christmas.





Sunday, January 13, 2008

Looking after Chip


This afternoon James and I went round to look after a very cute little bunny called Chip. He belongs to our good friends Kate and Si and is their new house rabbit. They're away in Paris for the weekend so we agreed to pop round to feed, water and entertain Chip. Do look at Kate's website by the way, she's a very good illustrator and she has a lovely hand writing style too. Even the note she left for us is done in her quirky, illustrated way.

Anyway, onto Chip. He was very difficult to photograph as you can see...

Leave me alone!

Didn't you hear me??

Ok, you can photograph me but I'm going to move.

You may be holding me but I can still turn my head away!

Mmmm...hay!

He was very well behaved at first and we let him out to run round the flat. I think all the attention Chip got made him over excited as he then had a mad pooing session and we had to put him back in his cage and quickly clean up so that Kate and Si won't suspect anything when they return! Shhh, don't tell them!