My New Bag(s)

6th Feb 201928th Mar 2023 | Suzi Stamp

I wrote, last month, about My Quest for the Perfect Bag and it seems that, like busses, 2 always seem to arrive at once! Yep, I now have 2 bags that are pretty perfect for what I wanted!

The first bag I bought in TKMaxx.

It is by Pierre Cardin and is a lovely pewter shade. It has a metallic finish but isn’t particularly shiny due to its textured, faux leather finish, and looks really classy. There is minimal branding, just a tiny metal “Pierre Cardin” signature logo on the front, top centre, though the bag could be worn so the branding isn’t showing. There are 3 main pockets, the 2 outer ones have no inner pockets or zipped compartments but the centre one has a zipped pocket and 2 small open pockets. This bag has a strap that is half chain and half material the same as the bag, the chain parts attach to the bag and the material part is designed to go over the shoulder.

Things I like about this bag.

The zip pulls. The tabs to the zips have been made from the same material as the bag so match in really nicely and I love that they are really long and easy to get hold of.
3 big compartments. I can fit my Filofax into the middle one and other bits into each side.
The silver, metal zips. They look really nice against the pewter finish of the bag and open and close relatively easily where some metal zips stick.
The material. It is a faux leather and looks to be quite hard wearing which is perfect for me who puts a bag through its paces!

Not so good things about the bag.

The jump rings holding the chain broke almost straight away. The bag wasn’t full or heavy but the jump rings gave way on my way from the car to the supermarket – not ideal. I have fixed them with keyring hoops.
The metal chain can catch on certain fabrics, like knitwear and also has caught my hair a few times, tough I guess this is the nature of a chain.
The bag is slightly too small for all my things that I need for work. I sort of wish I had taken all the things I normally carry with me and tried them all in the bag before I bought it. Though, this bag is definitely one that I will be using regularly, both for work and when I’m going out somewhere as it looks really nice and will go with all my outfits!

The second bag I bought is from Artsac.

This bag is by a company called Artsac, I had one of these when I was in uni and I loved it. To be honest though, I had forgotten all about the brand but re-discovered them when browsing multi-pocket bags online. When I saw that there was a sale on I jumped at the chance to buy one as I knew, from previously owning one, how durable and tough they are. I was torn between buying a red one, a pink one or one of their colour block ones, but decided on this lovely blue colour. The bag is nylon (I know…I did say that I didn’t really want a nylon bag…) but has so many pockets for all my bits and bobs and is big enough to carry all my things that I decided to break a rule to accommodate this purchase. And I’m so pleased I did. The strap is really wide, in a woven heavy-duty fabric, there are 2 big main zip compartments, both big enough to fit my Filofax, kindle, notebook and pencil-case in, one of these compartments has 2 slip pockets and the other has a small zip pocket inside. There is a big zip section on the outside back of the bag which will hold notes and letters, 2 pockets in the flap of the bag, under which, there is another zipped pocket which will fit my keys, purse, phone and lip gloss. This will be my main bag for taking everywhere as it is really light, due to the fabric it is made of, and it is perfect for my style which is both bright and more on the casual side!

Things I like about this bag.

The pockets and compartments – they are the perfect size, and amount for all my things!
The colour which is brilliant for my style and what I was looking for.
The style of the bag. As it is a cross body bag it means I will be able to have it hooked on one shoulder or across my body when shopping.

Not so good things about the bag.

Its nylon. I know I had a bag from Artsac before and it worked really well and was really hard-wearing but I’m a bit worried about how this one is going to last and how quickly it shows signs of wear…still, that’s a worry and nothing to do with the bag at the moment.
No corner or base protection. I would have liked to see some kind of protectors on the corners of the bag as I think they will wear the quickest. And the addition of studs to the bottom would have given extra protection. That said, I tend to keep my bag on carpeted floor or hanging from the back of chairs anyway.

Which of my bags do you like the most? And what are your favorite bags? Do you have any links for ones that you can share in the comments?

Monthly Goals

5th Feb 201928th Mar 2023 | Suzi Stamp

I decided the last month to share a list of goals for the month ahead that I would like to achieve (you can read the full post here), and will be reviewing these today and setting myself some new goals.

I decided not to make any New Year’s Resolutions or Goals for 2019 as a whole because I tend to start them with great gusto but by the middle of February they have all but been abandoned. After I had written my goals for the month I thought about how monthly goals would be more effective for me – they are less likely to be forgotten for a start as they are only set for a month, they would be more achievable than some of the resolutions I have set myself before, I can review them month on month and judge what is working and what needs working on, working on smaller goals and targets will feel more attainable and I can look back on previous months and really see what I have managed to achieve along the way.

With all that said, lets take a look at how I did with my goals for January….

Blog and Social Media

Stay on track with my blog routine. I managed my quota of 9 blog posts and a few extras in January too so I totally nailed this one!
Share more on social media. I think this one is still a work in progress as I have now left Facebook (more on this in another post) and I think my Insta game needs upping. And…I have now joined Twitter and my blog automatically shares the post to that, though I do need to learn how to use it to get the most out of it.
Change my blog domain. I did this on one of the last days in December, not long after the goals post went live so I can tick this one-off as a successful done!

Home

Defrost freezer and deep clean fridge. I did deep clean the fridge and assess what I have in there but when I checked the freezer it didn’t need doing as I haven’t had it long enough to build up any frost at all!
Wash Sofa Covers. I managed to do this within the first week of January!
Create a cleaning timetable. I finally worked out a timetable for cleaning that works for me, with most of the big cleaning chores being done on a friday and the weekend so that I have my weekday nights pretty clear for blogging and personal projects and things that I want to do! Now I just need to try to stick to it!

Art and Craft

Make some more candles and research methods of making candles. I have been working with a different brand and type of soy wax and, as it creates sink holes really easily, I have been researching different pouring methods and have been trying out some of the suggestions and methods. (Though I am still getting sink holes….)
Start making cards again. I had the full intention to make cards for my brothers’ Birthdays but it didn’t happen. I’ve added this goal to my February list.
Start a scrapbook/journal. I’ve not started scrap booking yet but I have started a one-line journal and have been writing in it regularly. I have also been adding to my “A Doodle A Day” journal that I mentioned in this post.
Work on Lettering. This is something that I have really loved doing so this is a definite yes! I have been working on my lettering journal between 2 and 3 times a week. I have found this to be really easy to keep up with as I sit and work on my lettering while catching up with tv shows on the internet.

Personal

Finish reading The Snowman. I finally finished reading this on the 6th January!!! And I am so pleased to finally tick this off of my list.
Plan another craft event. I’m currently working out which day in February will be best to hold our next event and thinking about what sort of activities to plan and whether it should be a themed event!
Arrange another trip to London. I have spoken with my brother and am deciding when would be best to head back to London. I need to get new tyres for my car as I am planning on driving there and back. I’m thinking that during the half term would be good so I can spend time with my niece and nephew as well as my brother and his wife!
Go out for the day. I went out in the middle of January with my work friend Andy and his partner Julie! We walked their dog Mysti and Roxy (my dog) up the canal that is not far from my house. We were out for about an hour and a half with the puppers then we came back to my house to drop Roxy off then I went down to their home for a vegan, home-made curry which was lovely!

Now for my goals for February…

Blog and Social Media

Learn how to use Twitter. After reading a few blogs about twitter I decided to sign up and start my own twitter feed to share my blog posts to. Back in the day, when twitter was in its infancy, I actually had a few different accounts with them but never really understood the integral workings of the site and eventually left. This month I want to really get a grip on how twitter works and start using it to its full potential.
Update my About Page. The “about” page was one of the first things I wrote when this blog was nothing more than an idea and had literally just been created. I feel that now I have a better idea of my blog and have an even better idea of where it’s going it’s now time to update that page.
Work on my content plan, ideas and blog schedule. While I have been writing down post ideas into my blog content and ideas planner I have yet to bring them to life and add them into my blog schedule. This month I intend to sit down with my ideas planner and look at the best days for writing/posting these ideas and pencil them into my blog schedule.

Home

Plan/Host another dinner for Mum and Dad. Not only did i really enjoy cooking for Mum, Dad and Richard, they all enjoyed my food so I’m thinking about having another dinner with them. It would be good to get a date worked out and then I can think about what I’d like to make/cook/serve for it.
Sort spare room cupboards. I have 2 cupboards, both inbuilt, in my spare room which have become a hiding area for anything that doesn’t really have a home along with spare towels and bedding. I really could do with clearing out the cupboards, seeing what is in there and giving everything a proper home.
Make a start on the garden. While the mornings are cold and frosty it would be silly to pass up the opportunity to get outside and make a start on clearing part of the garden, cutting back some brambles and preparing the bed that runs along my path for some flowers and bulbs to be planted.

Art and Craft

Start making cards. This is the only item carried over from last month! Hopefully, with my Mum’s Birthday coming up this month I will be able to turn this goal into a reality.
Take more photos. It’s not until I go to write a blog post about something I have done that I realise I’ve not taken as many photos as I thought, and while I don’t want to be the annoying one always behind the camera, snapping away, I would like to document more of my life with photos.
Sort through my craft supplies and re-organise. It’s always good to take stock of what you own, sometimes I re-discover things I had forgotten about and that re-discovery can lead to mew ideas or I find things I had purchased for a project I never started which can inspire me to actually make a start on it!

Personal

Do my nails. It feels like such a long time since I actually sat down and did anything for my nails/hands. I have really chipped, growing out grey gel polish on my fingers that has been there since November. And I’ve not really noticed, or cared about it that much but I’m starting to think that, actually, it may be nice to spend some time caring for them. Perhaps this month I should schedule in a manicure and a swipe of polish?…
Meal plan. I have to admit that I’m pretty terrible at eating…I’m one of those people who doesn’t think of food and what they are going to eat on a day-to-day basis, let alone a meal by meal basis, and usually, I only think about food when I am super hungry then make bad food decisions. I am going to try to set a meal plan so I know what I need to prepare and can make or buy things in advance and, hopefully, this will help me make better food choices and get me into eating more regularly.
Skin Care routine. I’ve always liked the idea of having a skin care routine and have often bought products and intended to start a proper routine, but, the intention hasn’t lasted long and the products have been used once or twice then sat on the shelf gathering dust. I do clean my face with an exfoliating wash, or a cleanser or even soap but I guess that can’t be classed as a routine? I really want to start taking better care of my skin and start using a cleanser, toner and moisturizer daily with a facemask and exfoliator maybe 2 times a week. Any suggestions for products I should look at using?

What goals do you have for this month?

Mental Health and Me – An Update

4th Feb 201928th Mar 2023 | Suzi Stamp

I spoke last month, in my mental health update here, about wanting to return to work in February and issues that I still had that were hindering returning to work, namely my problems with sleep. At the time of that update I was waiting for a referral to some kind of therapy programme which may help me with my sleep issues.

I have now spoken with a member of the mental health team who went through an assessment with me and had a lengthy conversation about my sleep. We spoke about how I wanted to return to work as I was feeling much better emotionally and how frustrated I am that sleep is now the biggest problem for me. We identified some possible reasons why I’m having trouble sleeping including worry about returning to work (how it will affect me, what will happen when I’m back at work, others attitudes to me, as well as the general anxiety around my return), that my brain may not be getting enough mental stimulation now I’m getting better – a sign that returning to work would be good for me, how I am going to cope at work and having coping mechanisms in place, as well as anxiety about getting back into a work routine and balancing my work/home life.

We spoke about medication and the option of increasing the dosage during my return to work phase and seeing if that will help with sleep, and we spoke about having a key worker who would work with me 1 on 1 with issues I may have. I said yes to both, so now I need to return to my doctor once the assessment has been recorded in my notes and request a dosage increase and wait for a letter regarding my key worker.

I have also been referred to Occupational Health by my manager so I can have a chat with a medical practitioner with regards to returning to work and what things work could put in place to support me in returning including a phased return which my manager suggested. I have the appointment on Tuesday.

In all, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about everything. I would have liked to return to work this past week but realise that there are certain things that need to be done before I can return. I also think that implementing a phased return would be really helpful as it means I would be returning gradually and I won’t be feeling so overwhelmed by it all.

I will post an update once I have seen the Occupational Health practitioner and know what is going on more!

My New “Office” Space

3rd Feb 201912th Feb 2019 | Suzi Stamp

Since starting this blog I have worked on my posts, sat on the floor in my living room, using the coffee table as my desk which has worked fairly well but hasn’t been ideal as I found myself getting distracted by things around me, the tv, noticing that something in the house needed doing…you name it and I was there! I am a master procrastinator. Plus the floor was cold and I needed coffee…lol!

I decided that I needed a proper space to work from, one that meant I didn’t constantly get distracted or have to tidy away when I had friends and family coming over. I had a space at the top of the stairs that was home to my Hoover and other junk and wasn’t being well utilised, and if I’m honest, was a bit of an eye sore which I really disliked as everyone who came to the house and used my toilet (I have one and its upstairs) could see, and I knew a desk would fit perfectly there! And so, my little “office” space was born!

I’m really happy with it as you can see from my super happy, smiley, blogger face! Lol! I feel like I am more productive tucked away up here, its warmer, quiet, there are fewer distractions, and silly as it may sound, I actually feel like I now have a purpose!

I still have a few tweaks to make and there are a couple of things I’d like to add to the space – one being a wall planner, antoer being a chalk board/whiteboard/cork board combination but these things can be added as and when, but for now this space is perfect!

What do you think of my “office” space? Where do you blog?

Recipe of the Month – February

1st Feb 201928th Mar 2023 | Suzi Stamp

Last month I gave you a vegan recipe for Tomato and Bean soup from the Vegan Recipe Club, this month I am sharing a really easy vegan chocolate cake recipe that I found on the Tesco website. Tesco has some really lovely recipes and the great thing about their website and recipes is that there are handy “shop ingredients” and “add to shopping list” buttons which let you add the items you need to your basket rather than traipsing around the shop looking for what you need. This function also shows you how much it will cost for you to make the recipe from scratch.

This is one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes and is really versatile in that you can add things like cherries, vegan chocolate chips, vegan fudge pieces to the cake mix before cooking. I like to use a smaller cake tin and make 2 separate cakes and fill with the icing and a bit of marmalade just to make it a bit different!

Here’s the recipe….

For the cake….

40g (1 1/2oz) cocoa powder
175g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
225g (7 1/2oz) caster sugar
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
75ml (3fl oz) sunflower oil
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cider vinegar

For the icing

30g (1oz) cocoa powder
200g icing sugar
150g (5oz) Pure sunflower butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

This amount of icing will cover the top of the cake but if you want to cover the sides too I tend to triple the amounts used.

Method…

Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Line a 20cm (8in) round cake tin with baking paper.
In a bowl mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, 230ml (8fl oz) water, vanilla and vinegar, then pour into the flour mixture. Mix together very well until smooth.
Pour into the cake tin and place in the centre of a preheated oven. Bake for about 30 mins until risen and firm to the touch. A skewer should come out clean. Leave to cool in its tin for 10 mins then turn out onto a wire rack.
While the cake is cooking make the icing. Sieve the cocoa powder and icing sugar into a large bowl. Add in the dairy-free margarine and vanilla extract and use an electric whisk to combine everything together until smooth and fully incorporated.
It will look very dry, but don’t add any liquid as it will come together after a minute or two of whisking. Refrigerate for 30 mins before using.
When the cake is completely cool, spread the chocolate icing liberally over the top and serve.

You can find this recipe at https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/dairy-and-egg-free-chocolate-cake.html

This Month On The Blog!

31st Jan 201912th Feb 2019 | Suzi Stamp

The nights are slowly starting to get shorter and the days are gradually stretching out and growing in minutes and before we know it Spring will have well and truly sprung, but until then I have all these posts lined up for you…