Blogging from A to Z

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This month I am going to be taking part in  the Blogging from A to Z Challenge where each day through April, excluding Sundays, I will be working my way through the alphabet, one day at a time.  To see more about this challenge please see the link (here)

You can expect to see a post from me each day with a topic relating to that days letter, these will be posted each day except Sunday’s.  I will also be posting my usual blog posts (Top 10 Thursday, and posts on a Tuesday and Friday too).

Here’s a calendar so you can see which letters will be on which days…

Blog Calendar April A-Z Challenge

 

200 Followers Blog Party

Today marks the day where I gained 200 followers on this blog! I’m totally amazed and never thought that I would gain 10 followers, let alone 200. When I started this blog I was not really interested in having people follow and read my posts but as time has gone on, you are the guys who keep me coming back and continuing to post. You have been my inspiration and reason to smile and keep going, even on those days that writing is a struggle! Thank you so much!

I would like to invite you all to celebrate with me by taking part in this blog party and share your blog links in the comments and inviting fellow bloggers to share their links too, or even share a link to a blog that you think is awesome!  Let’s find new blogs to follow and get to know each other!

The rules…

  1. Everyone is welcome to participate in this Blog Party!
  2. If you are a new follower of my blog, say hi and let me know so that I can remember to drop by your blog and check you out.
  3. Leave a Comment! Say hi and tell us who you are and what your blog is about. Leave a link to your blog, a favorite blog post or a blog you love!
  4. Feel free to invite other bloggers to participate and feel free to re-blog this post to your page!!!

Defining My Blog

Having an idea of where your blog fits in the blogging world is a really useful thing when it comes to thinking about topics to write about and creating your blog posts.  It also gives you a general idea of the kind of readers you may get and what kind of audience to aim your posts towards.  Defining your blog is something to look at, maybe once every few months, to see if your post topics have caused a shift into another theme of blog from when you started, help to re-assess what works and what doesn’t and is also really useful when crafting future content for your site.

Today I am examining my blog, where it currently sits in terms of theme of blog and determining the definition of my blog.

At present my blog sits in the lifestyle theme of blogs.  A lifestyle blog can incorporate many different topics and subjects but usually cover things that the blogger is interested in.  My blog covers topics such as mental health, arts and crafts, reviews, interior design, decorating, stationery, planning, organising and recipes.  I chose the theme of a lifestyle blog as content can be vast and not tied to just one subject.  Being a lifestyle blogger gives me more freedom in what I write about and share.  I knew, before I started, that I wanted to be able to write about a range of different things including help and advice articles and sharing my own opinions.

I can’t see my blog moving from the Lifestyle category but it will be interesting to see where it sits in a few months time.

What type of blog do you have?  And how do you define it?

 

Top 10 Quick Cleaning Ideas

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Another Thursday and another Top 10 list!  Today I’m sharing my Top 10 Quick Cleaning Ideas!  If you are anything like me, you may get a call from a friend or relative at short notice to say they are popping by and the house is less than tidy, this list of things really helps me to make my home more presentable in a really short space of time!

  1. Wash up the crockery, dry and put away.
  2. Clean the sink, draining board and kitchen worktops.
  3. Wizz the Hoover around high traffic areas like the hallway and living area.
  4. Plump up the cushions and fold the sofa blankets nicely.
  5. Tidy the coffee table and wipe over.
  6. Open the window and let some fresh air in.
  7. Tidy the dining table or other places piles seem to accumulate.
  8. Wipe around the sink and toilet.
  9. Put cleaner down the toilet.
  10. Make sure the hallway is clear and smells nice (I turn my plug-in air freshener on for 15 mins but a blast of air freshner will work just as well!)

Once upon a Blog Crime

Sadje's avatarKeep it alive

A new blog Fiction game by Rory;

Once Upon A Blog Crime ……..

26 – Mar 2019 – Game 5

Good grief, what on earth is wrong with this community of writers, authors and book loving souls?  There has been another most awful, hideous and heinous and utterly horrible murder?!

That’s down to you to decide……

During our investigation the following names have come up in connection to our five main questions ..

These being;

Perp 1

Ursula of An Upturned Soul

Perp 2

Beckie of Beckie’s Mental Mess

Perp 3

Lady D of 3C Style

Perp 4

Suzi Tench of My Colourful Life

Perp 5

Ashley – Mental Health @ Home

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Fresh out of the Academy is one of our newest detectives Sadje of Keep it Alive, here’s hoping she can keep it together for her first case. I think she has the makings and the…

View original post 845 more words

Earth Hour

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Earth Hour takes place on the 30th March at 8:30pm, and the great thing is that it doesn’t matter where in the world you are, this is a rolling movement that is set to take place globally so when it hits 8:30pm wherever you are, you can take part.  All that is asked is that from 8:30pm, for one hour, electrical items, like lights, wifi, plug sockets and other non-essential items, in your home are turned off.  Just by taking part, for this one hour we can make a difference in our world.  Read more at the Earth Hour website here.

I am planning on turning off all my electrical devices (even my phone and laptop) and lighting candles and just sit and be.  Last year I took part and I was amazed at how quiet the house was, there was no humming of lights, no computer fan, no buzzing from electric flowing from sockets to devices, and there was something quite peaceful about unplugging from everything while making a stand to help our world.

Will you join me in making a difference?

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Current Interior Trends – Spring

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Since Pantone revealed their Colour of the Year  on the 6th December 2018, I have been waiting for an influx of all things “Living Coral” coloured, or at least coral, but there have not been too many of those items to be seen in places selling home interior items.  Today I am looking at what the current home interior trends are for spring and there doesn’t seem to be a coral object amongst them.

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Marble effect items seem to still be going strong, this trend has been around since 2016 and is showing no sign of stopping.  You can get pretty much anything with a marble effect finish, from notebooks and stationery items to side tables and bedding though I have noticed a move from the grey and white marble effect into other colours such as pink and blue.  I don’t think this trend will be going away soon.

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Houseplants seem to be fairly popular this year, from tiny succulents and cacti to bigger, more leafy plants like the Cheese Plant (Monstera) and even the humble spider plant is seeing some love again.  Houseplants (especially succulents and cacti) can be really easy to care for, they just need some water and light and to be kept out of drafts – the are labels that come with them often give some really good care tips and are worth checking out before purchasing.  Houseplants add something to a room’s atmosphere that you just can’t get through an ornament or object and I’m not really sure how to explain that feeling, but its a good feeling.  They add interest to an area, bring nature indoors and help to keep the air in the room fresh as well.  I like having houseplants in the kitchen, on the windowsill near the sink, in my living room, on book cases and coffee tables, and I like plants in the bathroom too.

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Terrazo is making a comeback in all sorts of ways.  Terrazo is a speckled composite material which was created around the 16th Century and was a type of palazzo flooring made of glass, marble and stone chips set into polished concrete.  This kind of material can be found in pots, kitchen accessories and the print can even be found on notebooks, desk accessories and even on wallpaper.  While it does remind me of flooring in public areas (like museums, train stations and toilets) I think it is an interesting pattern and is more eye-catching than the grey, industrial trend of the plain concrete look that came before it.

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Metals and metallic touches are not going away fast, although there is a shift from bright, shiny gold, silver and rose gold towards a more muted brass tone.  Little touches can be added to your existing interior by choosing simple objects like this floor lamp.  Though, there are lots of ways of incorporating brass finishes to your home from light switch covers, crockery drainers, bookends, pots for holding pens/makeup brushes and many more.

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Ombre is no longer an effect saved for hair, it’s now making its way into our homes and onto home furnishings and there are some really lovely pieces around to add a pop of colour.  There are beautiful curtains, vases, cushions and candles that make adding this trend to your home really easy.

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The geometric trend still seems to be on the rise, from coffee cups shaped geometrically, to tables with geometric legs, lamp stands and wallpapers, it seems that this trend won’t be going anywhere soon.  I love that the geometric trend can be utilised over so many products both 2D and 3D and comes in so many colours so you can be sure to get something to match and update your decor style or go all out and refresh your style completely.

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I don’t think we can ever escape pink, but this time around we are not seeing girly, princess or even Barbie pink.  This year is all about the dusty, vintage pink which oozes a kind of glamour reminiscent of the 50’s and is very much a grown up, sophisticated colour. The pinks found in Michelle Keegans Home range fit this trend really well as the range is not just the perfect shade of vintage pink but it mixes in metallic prints, different types of fabrics and interesting finishings like tassels and stud details.

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Textures are being reintroduced to our homes, this time through the addition of fabrics like velvet and suede, satin and wool.  Go into any store that sells soft furnishings and you will find an array of different textiles on offer.  I love adding interest with cushions and love the velvet and long faux fur ones available in Matalan.  Cushions are a really easy and cheap way of testing out a trend before adding bigger pieces to the room.

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I’ve been seeing a lot of textile wall art which seemed to start at some point last year with macrame wall hangings being sold in many high street stores.  This year people are embracing different types of materials woven together to create tactile wall art that is interesting and can add warmth to the room.  I love to browse etsy for this sort of thing as there are so many different styles and types of material used and you are guaranteed to have a one-off piece that no one else has.

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Monochrome has never really been out of fashion, it’s always seemed to be there in the background but I think that this season we will be bringing it into our homes in a bigger way.  Monochrome has always been seen to be very chic and a touch Parisian with black and white stripes featuring on so many different items.  This season there will be an array of different items available in black and white stripe, polka dot and even different patterns and prints such as animal prints like dalmatian and zebra.  I am loving this Habitat footstool in a monochrome pattern which also ties nicely with the texture trend too.

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Tropical prints are another trend that started creeping in last year and is set to continue to grow this year.  It seems that everywhere you look there is a tropical print on something!  I really like Asda’s Palm Print duvet set which really hits the nail on the head with the tropical trend.

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Walls are starting to make more of a statement now and there is a shift back towards wallpaper with big prints making bold statements this season, think floral, tropical, bright, big patterns and you won’t go far wrong.

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Painted walls are still fashionable too though there is a move from greys to brighter colours  like mustard yellow, brown/tan, Dulux Colour of the year is Spiced Honey and is a perfect choice but pair it with other colours like deep navy blue for an on-trend look.  We see darker colours coming in to play and they are perfect to team with the brass and textile trend, just make sure any accessories you add are lighter and you will find that they make your accessories really stand out.  Consider deep greens, denim blue such as Farrow and Ball – De Nimes, teal and even deep plum tones.  On the other end of the spectrum are muted vintage colours, think dusty pinks, chocolate and sage greens and neutral colours like mushroom, nude pinks and light tan which would be perfect with chunky woolen accessories, vintage inspired prints, shabby chic furniture and hints of velvet.

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Which interiors trends are you loving this season?

Diary, Planner and Journal Review

I wrote about the diaries and planners that I would be taking into 2019 with me way back in October (Preparing for 2019…) and, today I thought it would be nice to do a little review of how they are still working for me (or not…).

Back when I wrote that post I had 6 journals and planners that I was hoping to use for the year.

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This is what I started out with for 2019, from left to right – Hobbycraft Spiral Bound Planner, Ohh Deer Gemma Correll Planner, Paperchase Organise Me A5 Soft Cover Diary, Filofax Malden with Stripes Illustrated Inserts, The Bright Side Diary and a tiny Doodle a Day Journal.

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This is the pile I am currently using!  As you can see the diaries and planners are still the same as I started out with, with the exception of one…. I have added The Happiness Project One Line a Day 5 Year Diary to the list!

My Filofax Malden comes everywhere with me and has been really handy with writing down appointments as I make them, my work hours and other things that are important.  I have a section that contains lined note paper which I have been using to jot down ideas for blog posts, shopping lists and things I need to do and I reach for this so regularly that it sits on my desk in eye sight most of the day.

The doodle journal I started with great enthusiasm in January but, along the way, I have stopped adding to this daily.  I found that sometimes I just don’t have the energy or creativity to draw every day.  That said, I have still been adding to it when I feel like it and it is still helping me to exercise my drawing muscles.  I have also been looking at monthly drawing prompts and am thinking about undertaking one of those and see how it goes.

The Happiness Project Journal is something I write each day.  It sits beside my bed and I write in it before I go to sleep.  I’m hoping to keep up with this and fill the whole journal with a snippet from each day.  it would be lovely to look back on in years to come.

The Brightside Journal is something I use regularly still, I plan out my months blog posts into the monthly overview section and then make notes of what I need to do before the post can be published and also what I need to do on the days that the posts go live.

The Paperchase Organise Me A5 Soft Cover Diary isn’t getting used much, I decided to use it for home and recording any events in it that take up more space and can’t get recorded in my Happiness Project Journal.  I have recorded things like the outcome of drs appointments, things I have been doing, things I have done and notes on life in general.  Though it is not really getting much use I find it really handy to have something available to record things in that I may need to refer back to but that I don’t want recorded in my Filofax or other diaries and journals.

The Ohh Deer Gemma Correll journal is still being used as my blog ideas keeper!  I write down all my post ideas into it along with a few lines about what I’d like to cover in the post and a list of things I would need for the post such as any image ideas I may have.  This gets used a few times a week, either I am adding to it or flicking through it to find ideas for future posts.  I’m just over half way through it and I have no idea what I will use once it is full!

Finally, my Hobbycraft Spiral Bound Planner which I intended to use as my home planner.  I still use this, but not as much as I used to, I tend to rely on my Filofax to keep all my dates and information in.  I do sit down once a month and map out my month and what I would like to achieve in that month, things I want to do and things I need to do but aside from that I feel that it is not being utilised to its fullest.  In all honesty, I cn see myself not using this much at all in the future.  It was a nice idea, and if there were more than me in my household tracking the families appointments, classes and social activities along with any household tasks and bills etc, then this planner would be ideal as the stay home planner.

What journals, diaries and planners are you currently using?  And are they the same or different to the ones you started the New Year with?

Top 10 Laundry Products

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Laundry, a bit like breathing, we all have to do it.  Today I’m sharing my Top 10 Laundry Products.

  1. Method Laundry Detergent – This stuff is not only better for the environment but each fragrance smells AMAZING and the scent really lasts on your washing too!
  2. Method Fabric Conditioner – Again, much better for the environment but also leaves towels really soft!
  3. Comfort Strawberry and Lily Fabric Conditioner – I like to wash the bedding with this as, despite storing the bedding in a cupboard, it still smells really lovely weeks after.
  4. Tesco Orange Laundry Gel – I use this on the dog towels and, even using a tiny bit, the towels seem to come out really clean.
  5. Unstoppables Scent Beads – I only really use this on blankets and jumpers at the end of the season (or coats) as the scent lasts for a really long time.
  6. Dylon Colour Catcher – These are really useful when washing underwear or light clothes as they seem to stop the colours going grey.
  7. Vanish – I love the block soap that Vanish do, its one of the best things I have used on stains.  It’s also useful for spot treatments on carpets and upholstery.
  8. Dylon Brilliant White Repair Sachets – If, like me, you have white clothes that are starting to look a bit dull, these are perfect for getting them white again.
  9. White Vinegar – I use this if my towels are going a bit hard as it seems to make them soft again.  I put a cup full into the machine with the wash load.
  10. Aspirin – This stuff is amazing for removing antiperspirants marks.  Crush up a couple, add some hot water then dab onto the marks, leave for 30 mins then wash as normal.