Photo a Day #40 - Homegrown Veggies

It's blustery out there but good enough for a quick trip out to to the garden to check on things and see what is happening. Found a kohl rabi, a swede and some kale!

The swede and kohl rabi were worse for wear but I chopped the bad bits off and added them to the pan.

Bead Soup Blog Party 2014!

It's time for the annual Bead Soup Blog Hop!

And this year you can only sign up today.

Photo a Day #39 - Batch Cooking

To make sure I stay away from takeaways and prepackaged food as much as possible I batch cook at the weekends and freeze it in portions.

At the back is vegetable stew (Using up 2 tubs of frozen beans I cooked in the slow cooker, some swede which had seen better days, some kale from the garden and some stock which was taken from some soup I made in the week as it was far too watery)

3 tubs of chick peas which I cooked in the slow cooker and are destined for the freezer. I bought dried peas from an Asian shop for pennies. No cans have to be recycled, and the packging is very minimal.

And some quiche which I like at the front cut into slices. These are going to the fridge to have with salad. The bottom layer is cous cous, and the top is pan fried veg mixed with cottage cheese and eggs.

Result!

And I went shopping to the market, Chinese supermarket, and health food shop too.

Photo a Day #38 - Reel Big Fish

I gambled my "photo a day" on a gig I went to at Rock City but I guess I'm not the best photographer at a club. This is the best one though!

They were really worth going to see. Loads of energy and great music.

Photo a Day #37 - Lemon!

I think this means that the lemon tree is happy. Hooray!

I got his for my birthday in October and he's turning yellow! his flowers fell off ages ago and he's also growing little lemons too. They are just under and inch in size.

Photo a Day #36 - Balti Girl!

We were doing our usual exchange of goods at the pub last night and Sally decided to be Balti Girl!

I took 2 bags of clothes and an aloe plant, and came back with a jumper, a dress and 2 cheese graters!

Something Old Something New Blog Challenge - February

Is this the most boring photo ever?

I joined the "Something Old Something New" blog challenge and these are the UFOs I plan on finishing for this month. Hopefully I will finish more, but I'm aiming to get these done and ready to move into stock, my jewellery box, or gifted.

The piece with a button in is a felt brooch. It just needs the brooch pin sewing on. It's half sewn on. Why the heck haven't I finished it? It's been in this state for months!

The pearls is a right angle weave bracelet with no clasp on it and all it's nymo tails left loose.

The rope piece is a necklace I made for a blog challenge and I was really naughty and hid the ends without a clasp on for the finished photo!

And the earrings have tarnished and need their headpins replacing.

Photo a Day #35 - Photo Space

This is my photo setup for taking shots of my handmade jewellery. I have two mini spotlights with daylight bulbs in them, a cube which came with the lamps, and a white wipe-clean vinyl photographic backdrop.

As you can see, my list of items to photograph is a work in progress as I make a lot more than I actually get time to photograph.

Photo a day #34 - Portrait of G

Here's G after he'd cleaned up the bubble bath which I'd made of the kitchen floor earlier this evening.

I put pots in the dishwasher which he'd left to soak in a puddle of washing up liquid. Oops!

And a bonus shot of what was on my bead board tonight.

Photo a Day #33 - TNA Wrestling at NIA Birmingham

The first photo is my "Photo a Day" but I thought I'd add a couple of bonus shots today.

TNA at the  NIA ready to start the show

G and I

Me and my Dad

Something Old, Something New Challenge

G tackled the spare room yesterday and found carpet again. He also found a huge stash of UFOs so this blog challenge seems to have come at the perfect time.

I am challenging myself to finish (at least) one UFO a month and, at the same time, learn (at least) one new technique a month.

Why not click on the picture link and join in too?

Photo a Day #32 - Mug

This is my favourite mug. It's a handmade down but I always choose it if I can. It's china so it's lightweight, and the right shape to wrap my fingers round on a cold day.

The junk in the background of the photo is a little crystal ball that was a good idea to buy at the time but it wasn't like I imagined when it arrived so am still thinking what to do with it. And my hairbow which hasn't made it as far as the bedroom yet.

Fifth!

A while ago I did an interview with Liz who I know through Boockrossing.

And she published her top 5 blog posts of 2013 and I made number 5!

Woohoo! Go check out her website. It's really good for some many things. Grammar, writing, technical and computing. I always learn something new and helpful when I read one of her blog entries.

Photo a Day #31 - Coffee Table

 My view this evening.

Photo a Day #30 - Happy Apple

This is the Happy Apple greengrocers I go to in my lunch break. They have some really good bargains and loads cheaper than the supermarket and they are always friendly.

Photo a Day #29 - Cinema

I used to love going to the cinema. now it makes me freak out. But we had some free cinema tickets that went out of date at the end of the month so we had a go here was nothing we really wanted to see so we aiming to get there around 8pm and saw whatever film as on.

Photo a Day #28 - Weigh Day!

My weigh chart since I started Slimming World. Nearly at the end of page 2.

Photo a Day #27 - New CDs

CDs we won last night

Photo a Day #26 - Earrings

I've had a lovely break from my Etsy shop after the hectic month of craft fairs in December so it's time to start getting back into the swing of things with a bit of jewellery photography again.

Photo a Day #25 - BlueBell Line

This mornings walk down the old Bluebell railway line

Grow Your Blog Blog hop - January 24th

I figured a few extra followers of my blog would be nice so I joined the "Grow Your Blog" blog hop

I guess I ought to introduce myself.

I'm Sarah, 36, and live in Loughborough Leicestershire England with my long suffering other half G. I break things frequently but G is brilliant at fixing things so we're perfect for one another.

As well as working in a jewellery making warehouse, I design jewellery, make it, and sell it at numerous craft fairs, festivals and markets. I also attempt to grow vegetables in my garden.

I'm also a bookcrosser, geocacher, knitter, and general all round crafter. I also hoard things because "you never know"

I've found over the years that writing isn't for me, but I love sharing photos. This year I'm taking part in a Photo a Day which I'm really enjoying. A new phase to my blogging life!

I used to blog a lot on livejournal but since less and less people are using that particular website, I've decided to make my blogging home on Blogspot. I have 46 followers from all around the world and I read blogs daily.

Photo a Day #24 - Poorly Lime plant

The leaves on my poorly Tahiti lime. The leaves that have fallen off are the one at the top of the plant. these are the lower ones. The lowest ones have white powdery stuff on them.

Photo a Day #23 - Seed Bead Embroidery

Progress on my beading from Day 15

Photo a Day #22 - Snowdrops

Spring has sprung in our front garden.

Photo a Day #21 - New Shoes

My new-to-me shoes arrived yesterday.

Photo a Day #20 - Fruit

Bowl of fruit I had for snacking on in front of the telly tonight.

Photo a Day #19 - Bookmooch

Pile of books listed on Bookmooch today.

Photo a Day #18 - Galleries of Justice

Not the best photo but I'm still getting the hang of this new phone.

Cage suspended from ceiling at the Galleries of Justice in Nottingham where the Nottingham Bookcrossing meetup was today.

Photo a Day #17 - Aloe Vera

Our Aloe Vera plant has had babies.

Handmade oil burner from an eccentric old man in Wirksworth
Selection of crystal gemstones

Photo a Day #16 - Handmade Hearts

Lovely handmade Christmas decorations made by a friend and received in the post yesterday.

Photo a Day #15 - Beading

Current project. A seed bead embroidered pendant.

Photo a Day #14 - Mantelpiece

Here's our mantelpiece at home in the living room. I put things on it that I like.

An aloe plant
Handmade clay oil burner and wax burner
Candlesticks
Crystals (Amethyst, lepidolite, agate, rock salt)
Rock salt tealight holders
Dried roses
Lime tree
Daffodils
Vase
Pottery Hippo
Handmade daisy
Pagoda tealight holder
Incense sticks
Stones from the beach
Oils and spare candles

Photo a Day #13 - Walking With Ghosts

Started reading this on Saturday. Good so far!

Photo a Day #12 - Sign

Photo a day #11 - Ipswich

View from the hotel in Ipswich. We had a night away whilst visiting the Ipswich Bookcrossing meet.

Photo a Day #10 - New Gloves

I'm a bit of a wrestling nerd and these arrived yesterday. And they are a perfect fit. So pleased!

I watch TNA wrestling and go to the indie Southside Wrestling shows in Nottingham.

"Grow Your Blog" Blog Hop

I've joined the "Grow You Blog! Blog hop.

Have you?

Photo a Day #9 - Receipt

All you need. Yarn and Magic.

Photo a Day #8 - Self Portrait

Photo a Day #7 - The Old Man and the Sea

I saw this on a "100 books to read before you die" list so found a copy on Bookmooch to read. I'm enjoying it so far.

Photo a day #6 - Glass Pearls

10mm Glass pearls that arrived today for a new project

Photo a Day #5 - Carrot Jam

Carrot Jam I made today for the first time. I haven't tried the finished product yet but from a couple of teeny tastes along the way I think it's going to be ok!

Recipe from www.veggiedesserts.co.uk/carrot-jam/

Photo a Day #4 - Black Shoes

I nearly always wear this style of shoes. Black, flat, round toes with a bar going across the top of the foot.

I think my Mum gave me these ones but I'm not sure. I do know that they are second hand though. I love buying second hand items. The skirt was bought from ebay.

Photo a Day #3 - Christmas Tree

First time we've put a Christmas tree up in years. I chose the red green and gold decorations from the ornaments we've acquired from various places over the years. Decorations inherited from family, ones we have bought and handmade ones.

The tree will come down this weekend sometimes and banished back to the loft for another year.

Photo a day #2 - Howard Marks

We went to see Howard Marks late last year doing a one man show. I wasn't impressed at all. So glad I only bought tickets when they were half price! But the book is proving to be good. It was a bargain too. 39p in a charity shop and it's a signed copy too!

Photo a day #1 - Finished Mending Pile

I've decided to take part in a photo a day. Just a diary of my every day life really. Things I see from day to day. I might comment on them, I might not. I've sure lots of beadwork and craft projects will make appearances too.

Today is my mending pile. I believe in reusing and throwing away as little as possible so I mend my own clothes where I can. Today I mended (from top of the pile to the bottom) a pair of black wooly tights, a spotty skirt, a pair of purple leggings, a friends black jumper, and a darned the ends into a recently finished crocheted blanket.