Take the 30 day photo challenge

When my friend Deborah from Life begins at 30 texted me this week and asked me to join her in a 30 day photography challenge of course I said YES! Starting from the 1st of July, follow the list below and take one photo a day, then on July 31st post your pictures. Are YOU in? DO IT! DO IT! OH GO ON, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!

Looking forward to doing this! 

I'm having a well deserved day off from the painting today, so nice to get outside for a run with my bestie, a visit to my mum and dads and of course a smidge of thrifting! If I am to continue my love of thrifting then it has been decided that I will have to start a stall, watch this space thrifty friends!
Hope you're having a WONDERFUL Wednesday!  xx

The paint job

I've sneaked off painting duties for 5 minutes to say a quick hello....
Hello!!
We're day four into our paintaton and we're suckin' diesel (Northern Irish speak for The painting is going really well) So far we've finished the spare room, started the living room and today we've moved onto our bedroom.....There is light at the end of the tunnel! It's hard graft but cups of tea and Lidl lemon cake are making it easier.
Wanted to share my outfit with you... Accessorised with paint from head to toe! Vest sums it up rather nicely!

I have aged somewhat these last few days! Looking forward to a good scrub, a manicure and wearing some nice clothes!
Better shoot, my 5 minutes is up and the big lad will be cracking the whip!

Hope you're all having a good week x

This week I've been mostly thrifting.....

CHICKENS!!
Hello!
Hope you're having a lovely Sunday, I'm up to my eyeballs in paint but there's always 5 minutes for a quick thrifting post! Thrifting has taken on a new dimension since the arrival of the girls and I seem to be finding chicken stuff everywhere now! (The big lad's not as enthusiastic!)

I love the colours in this little chicken jug, she was only £1.95, actually is it a hen or a cockerel? I haven't a clue!

A chicken dish, £2, it's a bit on the small side, it only holds 4 eggs, but cute none the less. I'm on the look out for a larger version of this (mum and dad beware)

A dinky little shot glass with a cockerel (?) on it. 25p

Not chicken related, I guess the pattern looks a bit like eggs, two very pretty glass bowls for 75p each.

The chickens are being VERY vocal today, I'm hoping the neighbours love the sound of the country in the city!
 I'm linking up with Sophie over at Her Library Adventures , looking forward to seeing what all you thrifty friends have found over the week.
Have a great Sunday everyone x

Find a safe place

Our house is upside down, stuff everywhere! and Mary who doesn't do disruption has taken to her bed (I'm finding dealing with the mess difficult too, maybe I'll join her, except not in the hot press) The thing about starting to paint is that once you've started painting the walls, then the floors look really grubby, and it turns into a massive job! I'm trying to stay calm, but my problem is I rush things! The big lad keeps me right though, he's the ying to my yang, "put your feet up" "finish it tomorrow" Frankly I'll be glad when it's all done and so will Mary!

Speaking of rushing things, our new washing machine arrived on Friday. Eager to get started on the mountain of laundry that's been building up, so says the big lad "better read the instructions" Me "NA, sure how hard can it be" WRONG!!!! MUST LEARN NOT TO RUSH THINGS!! Whacked on a wash, seemed to be working well, UNTIL . . . The spin cycle! What only can be described as demonic, the machine thrashing and actually jumping out of it's cove! Screaming ensued " AH! DO SOMETHING!! TURN IT OFF" Turns out, (I'd know this if I'd read the instructions) there are four large screws that need to be removed before use! DOH! Another lesson learned, and luckily not the hard way, the machine is not broken, (phew! or it would have coming out of Mary's pocket money)

Hope your weekend is filled with fun! 
And remember not to rush things xx

Friday Flowers

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

I'm spending the day clearing, cleaning and choosing paint for our decorating spree next week (whilst waiting around for our new washing machine to arrive, turns out we couldn't survive without it!). I can't wait to get the painting started!!
XX

Half a year

Hello folks!
 I'M ON MY HOLIDAYS!!!!  Ten glorious days off work! Splendid!
Back at the start of the year it was my resolution to paint more...So far in half a year, I've painted four paintings, better than none, I guess!  I thought I try my hand at painting some flowers. You can see paintings one, two and three here
I give you painting Number four, Bonny Jean

We're Planning painting of a different sort next week, the decorating kind, our living room is getting a makeover. What a fantastic way to spend a week off work! (There's Heaton Park to look forward to as our reward). I'll take some before and after pictures. Next painting painting will be a portrait of the chickens, I'm looking forward to getting started on that one. Hope you're all having a good week xx

Kitty Apron

Today I'm modelling my amazing Kitty print apron, a handmade birthday present from my sister Pauline. I love it! I love the retro style, the colour and the cute pattern, pink with white kitties, so cute!! Pauline was given the sewing machine last Christmas and is fast becoming a wiz on it, she made my other sister a beautiful makeup bag. I say it's well worth investing and learning how to use a machine, the possibilities of stuff to make is endless. 

I love this fabric!

Thanks sister Perlie xx I love my kitty apron xx

Reasons to be cheerful

Hello!
It's another drizzly day here in Northern Ireland, I don't mind though...I have a new rain mac, in pink and purple leopard print,  that rolls up and fits into one of it's pockets! I'm sorted, it can go in my handbag, ready for use at the first rumblings of a downpour. It claims to be "shower resistant" emmm? Not waterproof then? doh!! We'll see....
On days like this maybe it's just better not to leave the house....Instead....The perfect day to make cookies! These cookies are YUM (I hit the keys harder when typing that to show how YUM they are) If making these doesn't make you cheerful then eating them surely will.
COOKIES!!! Nom Nom Nom Nom

 This recipe makes 20
You will need
125g (4 1/2 oz) butter softened
225g (8 oz) soft brown sugar
1 egg (Thanks Beryl!) lightly beaten
225g (8 oz) plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of baking powder
pinch of salt
200g (7 oz) choc chunks (M&Ms would be good too)
Preheat oven 180 oc, line a baking tray with parchment paper.......

1. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until the mix is pale and creamy.
2. Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract and stir to combine.

3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt in a separate bowl.
4. Stir the flour mix into the butter mix.

5. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
6. Make little balls or heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking tray, leave space between them!

 7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to onto a wire rack (or straight into your mouth! Well quality control is essential when baking!)

AND ENJOY! 
Hope you're all having a cheerful weekend xx

On the bed with Mary

Home after a busy week working in Limerick and looking forward to a good nights sleep in my own bed, with Mary on the side.

Anything for a bit of warmth!

Testing the water with the new throw, just resting her head on it for now.

Does your pet share your bed? I draw the line at Mary though, I'll not be sharing the bed with Betty, Beryl or Ethel anytime soon! Lovely as they are!

A day in the life

I been wanting to do a photo an hour blog for a while, so today was the big day. At the weekend I don't wear a watch (unless I'm out for a run) I wear one all week but just like the freedom of the weekend and not having to do things at a certain time, so trying to keep track of the time for a photo an hour was difficult! I made it to about 6 o'clock then gave up, plus who really wants to see photos of me doing my housework?  Here's what I got up to.....

Feeding time with the girls, they make me smile : )

 A strawberry, banana, blueberry smoothie, happy on the inside : )

A run along the river

Hand washing, our washing machine has died, all I need is a mangle and I'd be sorted!

A mooch around St Georges Market

Belfast graffiti

An afternoon treat in Clements, my favourite, chocolate decadence (AMAZING) and the best coffee in Belfast (in my opinion)

The Degree show at the Art college. I'm feeling inspired!

Passing the In Shops, it's all but gone. This used to be the Fashion Souk....what does the future hold for this building?

A visitor in the garden. His visits are becoming less frequent since the arrival of the chooks, I think poor Seymour even looks different! More frightened! Wee pet!

Hope you all had a nice Saturday, what did you all get up to? xx

Bloomin Lovely

These beautiful flowers are everywhere at the minute, what are they? Anyone know? 

NEST

NEST is an opportunity for the people of Northern Ireland to create art on a massive scale through the simple act of donating an object.

The donated objects will be archived and each story transcribed to create create a unique digital record, and assembled into a gigantic installation/exhibition in the Titanic Quarter of Belfast. It will become the focal point for a large-scale music and choral event inspired and performed by the people of Northern Ireland.

"a glorious, poignant celebration of the people that make up Northern Ireland. The coming together of thousands of individuals possessions, thoughts, words, sounds and voices for the making of a single landscape, a single sound....a single NEST." of Brian Irvine & John McIlduff  (Artistic Directors of NEST)

I'm donating a keyring given to me my a work friend when I was leaving the job, sadly he died after being knocked down on a night out. This keyring reminds me what a fun loving person he was and to remember that life is short and to have fun.

Donations must be made by the 8th of June .
The installation/performance will take place at T13 in the Titanic Quarter. NEST will be performed Saturday 21st July 2012 4pm and 8pm. The final installation will be open for public viewing between Sunday 22nd July 2012 - Sunday 29th July 2012 daily. For all the details www.2012nest.com

Life is sweet

FIVE REASONS TO VISIT BELFAST IN JUNE.....
1.Belfast Film Festival is on and runs until June 10th.
2. Django Django are playing on June 22nd in The Limelight.
3. The University of Ulster-School of Art and Design end of year show from 9th to the 16th of June.
4. The Age of the Dinosaur exhibition in The Ulster Museum (I'm obsessed at how much chickens look like mini dinosaurs)
And last but not least...This is going to be AMAZING!!
5. The Land of Giants Saturday June 30th

It's going to be a busy month!!

Mays Thrifty Finds

May was quite a month on the thrifting front. Things started on a high with an EPIC ABC charity shop tour with my sister. During the month I had to reign myself in, but by the end of the month I had well and truly fallen off the waggon again after discovering a new secondhand shop Used Unique Boutique. I took a trip there with my friend Deborah, and then into Newtownards for a quick rally around the charity shops. We did NOT come home empty handed! Surprised?
In the Used Unique Boutique I was prepared to hoke and haggle. I had to risk life and limb to find what I did, I climbed over some chairs, clambered over some tables, reached to the top of some racking (knocked something over! Woops! Sorry!) but it was worth it. here's what I found, all for £15 and I forgot to take a photo of the badminton racket....

Glasses not included

I think I'll use this to plant some herbs in.

Deborah came bought the Stars Wars soundtrack on vinyl, a old photograph in a pretty frame, a squirrel shell creature (She has quite a collection) a old tin and some books!
Hands full, we giggled our way to the car! "The big lad's going to kill me!! hahaha!!" This is the point where most normal people say "Didn't we do well, lets go home" OH NO!! Thirsty for more we headed to the charity shops of Newtownards for one final blow out......

Horse picture for £5

Pretty tea cup and saucer from Oxfam for £1.99, they were also sell the most beautiful yellow and white tea set for £9.99 but I resisted! GO ME!!

Deborah bought so many books, one charity shop was selling them 3 for 1 pound! Ridiculous!! She bought the most amazing flowery pink chenille bedspread, a steal for £8.50, sure you couldn't beat it with a big stick.
I think Deborah and I could be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to thrifting adventures! A lethal combination!!
 I'm looking forward to having a good nosey at all the amazing thrifty finds you've found out this week, I'm linking up with the lovely Sophie over at Her Library Adventures  Pop over there for your flea market finds fix!
Have a great Sunday everyone! x
May You've been LOVELY xx