Plus Size Clothes Swap! - Nottingham!

Plus Size Clothes swap in Nottingham! All welcome. Size 16+ All genders. Spread the word!

Facebook event is http://www.facebook.com/events/164441450369709/

Beetroot and Barley Risotto

I asked on my facebook page for what to make with the beetroot from my veg box and Allie from Allie in Wonderland suggested the Beetroot Barley Risotto recipe from Domestic Sluttery.


When dinner was still cooking an hour after our intended eating time, Grom did point out that they can't be that much of a domestic slut as they published a recipe that takes over an our of preparation and cooking time. We were hungry and we had the other problem to deal with.

Sometimes when I try out new recipes, they don't exactly work. in Horrific types of ways. I've thrown away meals or tried to struggle through them when they obviously went wrong. Grom is much better than I am. I usually end up with a sandwich but he struggles through them.

But it was ok!

I have to admit I tweaked the recipe a little bit. I just couldn't resist! I used fry light spray instead of butter to make it more slimming world friendly. And I used fresh mushrooms instead of dried as it is what I had in. But it was yum! We served it with Linda McCartney Rosemary and red onion sausages.

Book Review - Santaland Dieiries by David Sedaris

I decided to treat myself to an early night with a book last night and finished off this one.
SantaLand Diaries by David Sedaris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So very funny! Exactly my sense of humour. Recommended.

View all my reviews

Bead Soup Blog Hop - I've Signed Up!

I've signed up to the Bead Soup Blog party again! There are over 500 participants this year.

 I have to send a parcel to my assigned partner which includes:-

 :: One focal ::

 ::  One special clasp (not a lobster claw) ::
::  Some coordinating beads (no need to send a million) ::

No religious items -- crosses, Buddhas, goddesses, etc.

No political items.

 

And I receive a package from my partner.

 

On my given reveal date, I post photos of what I have made from my surprise beads.

I've chosen the 2nd reveal date is possible as most participants are in the USA so the first reveal date might not give me enough time to get my items through the post.

Art Bead Scene Monthy Challenge - January!

I've never really had a chance to take part in one of the Art Bead Scene monthly challenges before due to one factor or another but this time I managed to make time for it. And here it is!

Black Peacocks with Japanese Persimmons
Jessie Arms Botke, 1940
Oil and Gold Leaf on Panel
32 x 40 inches

 I found the picture to be quite inspiring and when I looked at the random beads on my desk, I saw one which fitted right in.


I've had the handmade lampwork focal for a while after swapping with Tan Grey on The Swappage Emporium for it but wasn't really sure what to do with it. however when I saw it fitted in with the colour scheme of the monthly challenge I decided to have a good think.

And here's what I came up with!

I decided to use the focal as a base point for a bit of wire wrapping with a selection of beads in my stash which went along with the colour story. Two tone metallic Preciosa Czech glass (From the same pack used in my Memories and Thanks blog hop piece), tiger eye, a selection of seed beads, and some Preciosa glass which was on the front of a beading magazine I bought. Is it wrong to admit that the free glass was the main reason I bought the magazine. They are so lovely!

TNA Maximum Impact - Nottingham Arena 24th January 2013

After waiting what seems like forever I went to see TNA Impact wrestling live at Nottingham arena on Thursday with Grom and my Dad!

Me and Grom

Me and my Dad!

I'd been to Nottingham arena before and knew to dress up warm. So I wore a skater style dress with leggings, a thick long cardi and a wide scarf that I could use as a shawl if I needed to.

Then I bought a hat.Yay!

Here the ring once they had set up the cage for the cage match. I have to say that this was the most disappointing part of a really good night. There were a few really good matches with loads of great names, but to use Sting and Kurt Angle for a dodgy match with Devon and DOC was rubbish. So much talent wasted.

However the other matches were great!

Chavo and Hernandex v Roode and Aries
Magnus and James Storm as a tag team
And RVD was excellent!

(Aren't Jeremy Borash and Austin Aries short in real life?) hehe...

Organic Veg Box

I've got fed up with all the special offers in the supermarket. In particular, Tesco.

I pick up a cucumber and see that is in the 2 for £2 offer, then spend an age looking for another item with the same offer on it only to find 2 for £3, 3 for £5 or a whole host of other offers but not the one I am looking for. *Insert Star Wars joke here*

So I looked into a local veg box scheme again.

I think everyone has heard of veg box schemes by now, but just in case, you can order a box of vegetables to be delivered to your house and they are generally locally produced, and organic, and in season.

I've tried a couple of different schemes before. With one I ended up with a huge amount of cabbages and kiwis. It was no joke in the end and I ended up giving them away on Freecycle! Not very thrifty but I'd had enough.

With another company, the box never arrived when it was due. Sometimes it would arrive late at night, sometimes the next day. but not really handy when you have been putting off going to the shops as you knew your order was going to be delivered whilst you were at work and left in your designated safe place. We didn't have any veg in so ended up with a takeaway. Also not very frugal or healthy either.!

But I'm happy with the veg box. very happy indeed.

This is this weeks box.

Oops! Manged to get G's shoes in shot there!

This a small salad box, 5kg of potatoes and an apple bag. Not bad for £20 delievered.

You can't see very well in the photo, but hiding in there are jerusalem artichokes, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, red onions, celery, more potatoes, fennel, chinese leaf (I think!), beetroot, and an avocado.

I've been trying out loads of new vegetables and really enjoying it. Yesterday I ate avocado for the first time having tried guacamole and hating it years ago. but avocado on it's own is lovely!

Last week I made some pickled beetroot. I've got to wait a couple of weeks for it to be ready to eat but fingers crossed!

Shorter Lunch Breaks and Gypsy Boy

I've been having half an hour lunch breaks at work so that I can leave half an hour early. It's been doing wonders for the amount of things I get done at home.

Before G gets in, I'm able to start cooking tea, have a long soak or watch Big Brother (So he doesn't have to!)

But the shorter lunch break means that I'm reading less. but last night I finally finished reading this. Plus I found a duplicate copy on my "To be read" pile, so I get to declutter two books for the price of one. Bonus!


Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed it. I've got the sequel but didn't really fancy reading it straight away after finishing this one, but will do at some point.

A good biography which wasn't amazingly feel good but worth reading despite the trials and tribulations of Mikey's life.



View all my reviews

January Clearance Sale

I've never really done an auction before so I figured why not?

I'm aiming for a different look in my Etsy shop and a few things don't really fit in with my idea so I figured that a low low price sale is in order.

I'm running it through my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pookledodotcom

Where there is an album of sale items. Go grab yourself a bargain! I've start some of the prices off at £2.

http://www.facebook.com/events/255330784597929/?ref=22

A couple of items up for sale are

Goals for the Week

Goals for the Week:-

1. Survive 1st week back at work
2. Make item for blog hop
3. Keep decluttering wardrobe
4. Read a book
5. Watch the Lovefilm DVD (Lovefilm or Netflix? Any opinion?)
6. Finish the jewellery repair job
7. Be Calm!
 

 

So I managed to get quite a few things done, but didn't manage to post my list! Typical.

 

I'm still getting there on things that need doing and have put our white boards back into full force. We have one which has goals for the year on it, one with goals for the month, and one with weekly jobs. And it's working! I read about the list method in a book but can't for the life of me remember which one it was. I have an inkling it might be "Eat That Frog" though.

Goals for the Week:-

1. Keep up with finishing UFOs
2. Keep cooking from scratch
3. Pickle beetroot
4. Read a book
5. Go to Nottingham bookcrossing meet
6. Keep posting things which I have promised to post
7. Finish jewellery repair job

The Year of Declutter!

We started this year off really well by decluttering the downstairs of the house ready for a New Years party, so on January 1st the house was in pretty good shape.

Since then we've kept the house in reasonably good shape. I've even been putting projects away before starting new ones!

Yesterday I went to Plus Size Clothes swap in Leeds which was so much fun. I took 3 bags of clothes along which either didn't fit properly or that I had got bored with and was always shuffling past their hangers in my wardrobe. I was so pleased to have the extra space. But woe is me, I came back with another 3 bags of clothes and shoes.

They are all sitting in the living room at the moment so I can show G what I came back with. I have never tried as many clothes on in my life in one sitting. My arms are physically aching. I figure I was browsing and trying clothes on for 3 hours non-stop! Afterwards we went out for a lovely Italian meal and Zizzis. I shared some tomato and pesto bread and then had some lovely spinach and ricotta not-meatballs with pasta. Yum!

Check out the photos here! http://rebeccasvivaciouscurvaceousblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/today-in-leedsplus-size-swap-4-yey.html

Are you decluttering this year?

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

The story behind the "Memories and Thanks Blog Hop" touched my heart. You can read all about the inspiration for it at http://www.prettythingsblog.com/2012/11/memories-and-thanks-blog-hop.html on Lori's blog.

"This blog hop is both for Marianna and for those people in our lives who mean a lot to us -- a mom, a friend, a brother -- anyone who has meaning to us.  Create a piece of jewelry that tells that story."


Marianna loved cardinals so I choose to have a bird theme in my piece of jewellery. And the friend I have chosen to make for (Who has no idea about this blog hop) loves Turquoise. She's been there for me when I rant and moan about weird stuff that stresses me out for which I am always grateful.


So how could I resist these beautiful turquoise bird beads? I had had my eye on them for a while so couldn't justify them until I saw this swap when I realised that they would be ideal and ordered them to be imported. I wasn't sure how long they would take to arrive but arrive they did and in plenty of time too.

I found some more turquoise beads in my stash (Actually turquoise howlite and magnesite) and noticed the lovely brown markings and decided to team them p with some shiny tiger eye, Preciosa two tone Czech glass, and some vintage style chain.

What do you think? Apart from the awful photographs!

Go see what everyone else taking part has made :)

Adlinah Kamsir                   Dream Struck Designs

 Aimee Biondolillo               Aimee's Jewelry Treasures

 Alicia Marinache                 All the Pretty Things 
 Andra Marasteanu               Handmade by Indra Marasteanu 
 Andrea Trank                      Heaven Lane Creations
 April Grinaway                   Brooklyn Bead Goddess

Barb Solem                         Vivi Magoo Presents

Becky Pancake                    Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Beth Emery                         Stories by Indigo Heart

Birgit Klughardt                  Gites Beads

Bonnie Coursolle                Jasper's Gems

Cassi Paslick                       Beads: Rolling Downhill

Catherine King                    Catherine's Musings

Cece Cormier                      The Beading Yogini

Chandra Leitz                     Juniper Goods

Charissa Nesler                   FireStorm Designs
Charlie Jacka                       Clay Space

Christina Hickman              Vintage Treasures Jewelry

Christine Murrow               Charis Designs Jewelry
Christine Stonefield            Sweet Girl Design

Chrizette Bayman               Bead Soup Mix

Cindy Wilson                      It's My Sea of Dreams

CJ Bauschka                       4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Crystal Thain                      Here Bead Dragons

Cyndi Lavin                        Beading Arts

Debbie Rasmussen             A little of this, a little of that

Denielle Hagerman             Some Beads... and other things I like
Diana Gonzalez                  Arte y Poemas

Diane Hawkey                    diane hawkey

Dita Basu                            ankarshilpa

Donetta Farrington             Simply Gorgeous

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     Deeliteful Jewelry Creations

Elena Adams                      ~~TBA~~

Emma Todd                        A Polymer Penchant

Erin Kenny                         beadiful therapy

Erin Prais-Hintz                  Treasures Found

Gina Hockett                      Freestyle Elements

Gloria Allen                        Innovative Dreams Jewelry

Heather Marston                 CSW Designs

Inge von Roos                    Inge's Blog

Iveth Caruso                       Creative Atelier

Jacqueline Marchant          Fiddledeedee Jewelry

Jami Shipp                         Celebrating Life!

Jean Yates                          Snap Out of it Jean, There's Beading to Do!

Jennifer Reno                     Musings of a Crafty Jenny
Jenny Robledo                   Peppa's Dream

Jennifer VanBenschoten    Jewelry, Art and Life
Jessica Klaaren                  Cellar Door Jewelry

Jessica Murray                   Whimsical Monkey

Joan Williams                     lilruby jewelry

Jo-Ann Woolverton            It's a Beadiful Creation

Joanne Browne                   josjewels1

Jodie Marshall                    Jodie Marshall Lampwork Beads Wearable Art

Johanna Rhodes                 Fire Phoenix Creations
John Rasmussen                 Rasumussen Gems and Jewelry LLC

JuLee Wolfe                       The Polymer Penguin

Julie Bean                           Blue Pig Blog

Karen Mitchell                   Over the Moon Designs

Karin King                         The Sparklie Things Blog
Karin Slaton                       Backstory Beads

Kat Douglas                       Washoe Kat's
Kay Bolton                        Toodles and Binks

Kayla Potega                     The Eclectic Element

Kelly Hosford Patterson     The Traveling SideShow

Kim Ballor                          Vitamin C ... A Daily Does of Creativity

Kim Dworak                       CianciBlue

Kim Houston                       The Pink Martini
Kym Hunter                         Kym Hunter Designs

Laren Dee Barton                Laren Dee Designs

Lea Avroch                          LA Jewelry Designs

Leanne Loftus                      First Impression Design

Liddy McLaughlin               Liddy McLaughlin Art

Linda Florian                       Lily's of the Valley Jewelry & Creative Creations

Linda Inhelder                     Must-Haves Jewelry

Lisa Hamilton                      Simply Irresistable Jewelry
Lisa Suver                            Fancee That

Lori Bowring Michaud        Artfully Ornamental

Lori Poppe                           Adventures in Creativity with Lorillijean

LouAnn Elwell                    Southpass Beads

Mallory Hoffman                 For the Love of Beads

Mandi Effron                       Craft-o-licious

Marcia DeCoster                 MadDesigns

Marcia Dunne                     The Alternative Foundry

Marcy Lamberson              ~Studio Marcy~

Marie Covert                      Creating Interest

Marjorie Savill Linthwaite     bennubirdrising

Marlene Cupo                        Amazing Designs by Marlene

Martha Aleo                           Ornamento

Marti Conrad                          Marti's Buttons -n- Beads

Mary Ellen Parker                  BeeTree by m.e.

Mary Govaars                        MLH Jewelry Designs

Mary Lindell                          Mary Lindell Artisan Jewelry

Maureen Connolly                 Mrs Beadsley's Workshop

Maybeline Tay                       The Jewelry Larder

Melissa Elgin                         The Addicted Beader

Melissa Mesara                      one-eared pig beads

Menka Gupta                         Menka's Jewelry

Michaela Pabeschitz              la mar de bonita

Mischelle Fanucchi               Micheladas Musings

Mona Rae Baroody               Who Does She Bead She Is?

Nan Emmett                          Spirit Rattles -- Spirited Earth

Nancy Pedersen                    Something Heartfelt by Nancy

Natalie Davidson                  NorthShore Days
Nikki Douglas                      Bead It and Weep

Pam Farren                           re-maker

Pam, the Crazier Sister        The Crazy Creative Corner

Pam Traub                            Klassy Joolz
Priya Krish                           Hellopalz 
Rebecca Anderson               Song Beads

Rebecca Sirevaag                 Becca's Place

Robin Kae Reed                   Artistry HCBD

Rochelle Brisson                  a creative chelle

Rosa Maria Cuevas              Helena de Troya

Sabine Dittrich                     perlendschungel

Sandi Volpe                          Sandi Volpe

Sandra McGriff                    Creative Chaos

Sarah Goode                         Pookledo
Sarah Singer                         String a Song of Sixpence

Serena Trent                         All Things Made Jewelry

Shai Williams                       Shaiha's Ramblings
Sharon Palac                        Sharon's Jewelry Garden

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections

Sheila Davis                         Stone Designs

Shelley Graham Turner        Fabric of My Life

Sherri Stokey                       Knot Just Macrame

Sherry Baun                         Unicorns Jewels

Skylar Bre'z                         Brising Beads

Stephanie Haussler              Pixybug Designs

Tania Spivey                        Moobie Grace Designs

Terri G.                                Blooming Ideas

Terry Carter                         Tapping Flamingo

Terry Matuszyk                    Pink Chapeau Vintage Jewelry

Toltec Jewels                       Jewel School Friends
Tracy Kruse                         Goldkisses Art

Tracy Martin                        Nutkitten's Jewelry

Zia Parks                              Anzi~Panzi's Work Shoppe

Zoe Marcin                          Beads, Tea and Sweets

Goals for the Week

1. Be calm
2. Keep tidying and cleaning
3. Don't mess up the living room
4. Drink a bottle of wine on NYE :)
5. Read a book
6. Finish a blanket
7. List a blanket

The downstairs if now visitor friendly! To be honest, the upstairs isn't that bad either. The stairs and landings have been vacced and the bathroom isn't too bad either. Obviously the spare room is jammed packed, but it's all in one place and we can close the door on that to hide it. Woohoo!

I drank a bottle of wine and very nice it was too, and the cake I had was delicious!

I still haven't finished reading my book. It isn't that gripping and I keep finding other things to do instead. Quite annoying really as my To be read pile is enourmous!

Goals for the Week:-

1. Survive 1st week back at work
2. Make item for blog hop
3. Keep decluttering wardrobe
4. Read a book
5. Watch the Lovefilm DVD (Lovefilm or Netflix? Any opinion?)
6. Finish the jewellery repair job
7. Be Calm!

Christmas Makes

There was just enough daylight to take photos of the things I finished on Christmas day today.

I made a baby blanket from some of the crochet squares I've been saving, and a hot water bottle cosy.

Baby Blanket

Hot Water Bottle Cover

Next Project

I've come to the end of a project. I know logically I ought to finish another project but starting one is always fun.

Shall I make:-

Pooling Summer Mesh Stole

Scallop Choker Necklace

Dummy Clap Shawl

 

Goals for the week

Goals for the week

1. Ebay!
2. Swapbot
3. Interview
4. Christmas presents
5. Tidy the living room
6. Eat better
7. Car insurance 

Not too bad this week eh?

I only managed to get one item on ebay this week but that's better than nothing. And I emptied theb hanging space in my wardrobe of all the clothes that I wasn't sure I wanted to keep. I have a pile for getting rid of and a pile for trying to to double check.

Also I have a tentative lift to a plus size clothes swap in Leeds in January. Anyone else fancy going?

My swapbot swaps are all done and I haven't signed up for any more. If anyoen wants to do any trades just shout as I love them, but having to go to check on the website to see what dates were up and coming was starting to stress me out.

I still haven't managed to do the interview yet but I have got the questions and am part way though writing my answers.

The Christmas presents are wrapped apart from 3 of them so I'm classing that as a win :)

The living room is suitable for guests but just needs a bit more a clean to get it spick and span. We don't mention the spare room upstairs. We can just close the door on that room!

I got my 1 stone certificate at Slimming World on Tuesday! I have weigh in in an hour so we'll see what happens this week I am now officially under 20 stone in weight and am very pleased about it.

My car insurance is a bit of a mess, but never mind I'm insured. We'll sort out the mess after Christmas.

Goals for the Week

1. Be calm
2. Keep tidying and cleaning
3. Don't mess up the living room
4. Drink a bottle of wine on NYE :)
5. Read a book
6. Finish a blanket
7. List a blanket

Goals for the Week

1. Survive the day job
2. List something on ebay
3. Swapbot swaps
4. Bookcrossing secret santa
5. Use up some of the veg (I misjudged the size of the organic veg box and we are overwhelmed!)
6. Tidy the living room
7. Deal with the washing mountain

Not too bad. Only just survived the day job this week.

Didn't get anything listed on ebay but did get a few more bangles listed on Etsy. Is is wrong for someone who has always hoarder thing to use to want to just list a shed load of stuff on ebay to get rid of it all? The only stuff I want to keep is useful stuff I can use. Books I haven't read yet, craft supplies I want to use and the clothes I actually wear? I'm worried by the amount of stuff I want to get rid of. I'm worried I'll regret it when it's all gone.

Only 1 swap-bot swap left to send. I haven't signed up for any more swaps.

The living room is getting there but not quite there yet but there is improvement.

The washing mountain is getting there too which is good but not quite there yet.

Goals for the week

1. Ebay!
2. Swapbot
3. Interview
4. Christmas presents
5. Tidy the living room
6. Eat better
7. Car insurance

Goals for the Week

1. Post bookmooch books
2. Post swapbot swaps
3. Make more bangles
4. List bangles on Ebay (I'm going to start using my business ebay account again and see how things go)
5. Survive the day job
6. Keep going with the secret masterplan
7. Christmas presents

Not bad this week. I'm up to date on all my bookmooch swaps whcih is a relief. I Still have more books to list but it's nice to be on top of my posting schedule.

I made a few more bangles which was quite handy as I was featured in a Christmas present gift guide this week! Check it out here!

This week was pretty manic but I'm doing a good job of surviving it despite the compulsory over time. I have some crystals to count at home this weekend too as we have lots of work on at the moment.

As for the secret masterplan? I lost 3.5lbs this week taking me up to 12lbs.

Christmas presents are getting there. I've already gifted 2 of them. 5 to go.

This weeks list

1. Survive the day job
2. List something on ebay
3. Swapbot swaps
4. Bookcrossing secret santa
5. Use up some of the veg (I misjudged the size of the organic veg box and we are overwhelmed!)
6. Tidy the living room
7. Deal with the washing mountain

We're getting ready for Christmas, or more accurately, New Year as I really don't like Christmas. We've invited people around for New year whcih has enforced a deadline on us to get our house ship shape by then. It's going really well but the deadline has started looming.

The Living Room

Thought I'd take photos of the living room. It got very messy at one point so these aren't actually the starting pictures but I'm less ashamed of these photos than the actual starting point.

This is where we were in October.

And here we are now

 

 A little bit different but not much really. Although it got worse in between photos!

The spare sofa has improved loads! You can even see what colour it is now!

However the UFO (Unfinished Object) pile isn't looking promising.

And that's just the unfinished items that have made their way into the box. The spare room must have loads more of them in their under the unsorted stuff.

I'm hoping to get everything done in the UFO box over Christmas. It's unlikely but a worthy aim.

Do you have a UFO box?

Goals for the week

1. Survive the day job. It's going to be so busy!
2. Book at least one stall for next year
3. Carry on the secret masterplan
4. Send more bracelets to Life's Big Canvas
5. Christmas presents!
6. Post bookmooch books
7. Make Amethyst necklace

Not too bad at all considering compulsory overtime at work, very busy days and 2 nights out this week so far.

I've booked two stalls for next year. The biggie is a stall booking for a music festival. I'm so excited and a little out of my depth but I think that's a good thing. I have no idea how much stuff to make to keep things going. Any ideas?

The secret masterplan is going well. Got my half stone off certificate this week which was a nice mile stone.

The bracelets I sent to Life's Big Canvas arrived safe and sound which is good. You never know what Royal mail is going to get up to at this time of the year.

And I've bought and wrapped the majority of the Christmas presents And we've bought a teeny tiny tree and a poinsettia!

Still a few more bookmooch books to send out but hal a dozen gone this week which is great!

So here's the list for next week.

1. Post bookmooch books
2. Post swapbot swaps
3. Make more bangles
4. List bangles on Ebay (I'm going tos tart using my business ebay account again and see how things go)
5. Survive the day job
6. Keep going with the secret masterplan
7. Christmas presents

And there we are.

 How are your weekly lists going?