Rainy day ideas

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Being British, it's needless to say we experience a lot of rainy days here in the UK. Whilst most of the time we just get on with our lives, raining or not, occasionally we ditch the brollies and huddle inside, waiting for the rain to pass. If you're in that situation anytime soon, here are a few 'rainy day' activities to help you pass the time.

Bake (whilst watching GBBO)

Build a fort from bedding

Start a new tv series

Clear out your wardrobe

Rearrange your furniture

Try a new hobby 

Start a new book

Spring clean

Plan an adventure

Organise your photos and photo albums

Clear up your desktop files

Get out the old board games

Sort through your makeup stash

Get on top of your blog posts

Create an indoors workout

Write some to do lists

Clean your makeup brushes

Have a bath and use those Lush products you've been saving

Watch classic films (you know, the ones you pretend you've seen when you haven't)

Try that DIY project you saw on Pinterest

Attempt that tricky recipe you've been eyeing up

Home alone? Put Beyonce on and have a good old dance

Have a pamper evening

And if you don't care about the rain? Go out for a walk and forget about your dripping mascara and frizzy hair. You can always stop off at a country pub on the way and warm your bones by the fire.

Life's Little Luxuries

A fresh bunch of flowers
Buying a high end magazine
Breakfast in bed
A sofa, a blanket and a book
A spa day
A candle lit bubble bath
The perfect frosted cupcake
Duvet days
Fresh fruit and veg from the market
Freshly brewed coffee

Halloween Decorations

Cobweb Table Runner
Pumpkin Cupcake Cases
Trick or Treat Chalkboard Sign

Spiderweb Tealight Holder
Cauldron Props
Halloween Bunting

Pumpkn Pinata
Halloween Cake Stand
Ghost Lights

Should I be blogging?

I'm 2 weeks in to my full time teaching job and i've started to wonder where blogging will stand in my life. A typical day will see me in my classroom at about 7.45am and not arriving home until after 5pm. When I get home, I have books to mark, planning to do and resources to make.

I'm not having a moan, i'm just really worried about the little time I have to do the things I love...meaning blogging. Yes I have weekends, but these will be dedicated to preparation for the next school week and time spent with my boyfriend. This leads me to ask myself...should I be blogging?

I don't want to see blogging as a chore and I don't want to lose interest as this is a hobby that makes me genuinely happy. I just don't know how I will find time to enjoy it like I have done over summer. My priorities are myself, my boyfriend and the children I teach and i'm worried blogging will drop off the list. I've already decided to only post once or twice a week which is a manageable amount...but is it?

The purpose of this post is to voice my concerns and get advice from other bloggers that work full time. A few posts I have read and loved recently are...



This post from Melissa about juggling a daily blog and a full time job

Jen's advice on how to get things done when you're exhausted

This advice post from Shane full of practical solutions to blogging and working full time

Meg's post on blogging with a 9-5.

Rebecca's very useful post on keeping organised

And of course...my post on beating stress




Do you have any advice on working full time whilst maintaining a blog?

Instagram #1

Snuggles with the boyfriend's dog

 The cutest notepads from Paperchase

 My current obsession with monochrome

Sunday nights spent with my laptop, my ps3 and my bed 

The best burger ever at Five Guys 

A trip to the Clearwell caves 

The sweetest mini cupcakes from a local market stall

The flowers that arrived in my classroom from the lovely boyfriend. It's safe to say the boys in my class won't let me live that one down :)

Monthly Round-up #4

In August...

• I enjoyed time with family and friends at parties. My best friend had a big family party combining her graduation, her brother's 21st birthday and her parent's 25th wedding anniversary. It was a lovely night and her grandparents were centre of attention with their adorable dance routines! James' niece also had her dedication which was a fun day spent with his family.
• I started to build up my work wardrobe. When i've been on placement in schools over the past few years, I just ended up wearing clothes I didn't like as I couldn't afford to buy a nice work wardrobe. Now it's my full time job, i'm enjoying starting to buy different pieces and create outfits for school that i'm quickly falling in love with.
• James got a full time job. Anyone who has graduated from uni will have felt that dooming feeling of 'i'm never going to get a job'. I think my boyfriend has been experiencing that recently but on Saturday he secured his first full time position after graduating uni. I'm very proud of him and we're tempted to book a holiday ASAP.

Next month...

• I start teaching full time! Let's hope I can get my classroom ready in time.
• I'm aiming to carry on running frequently (we'll see).
• I can't wait to start wearing my winter wardrobe. Jumpers, coats and scarfs are my favourite.

The thing about stripes

They give a bit of interest to a boring outfit
They flatter the majority of people
They are great throughout all seasons
They go with pretty much everything
You can't go wrong with a stripy dress and a jacket
They are a classic look
They are always there for when you have a 'I don't know what to wear' day
Paired with a collar they give that cute indie look

They can be a basic piece for your wardrobe or something a bit more special

They are casual but can be dressed up with the right accessories

Graduation

On the 28th July, I graduated University after 4 long years of studying. I'm now a qualified primary school teacher and it was amazing to achieve this alongside my best friends. My boyfriend also happened to be graduating his course on the same day as me so we got to spend the day together. Here are a few pictures of the day. Sorry for the bad quality but they were all taken on iPhones.

Thoughts of a twenty-something year old

I wish my bedroom looked like all the others on Pinterest.

I feel a bit sick....yep must be pregnant.

Why is my hair doing that annoying thing again?

I have nothing in my wardrobe...

...but somehow I still can't fit everything in my suitcase.

How do other girls create that sexy messy hair look? Mine either looks too neat or like a fluff ball.

Nobody will notice how disgusting my favourite shoes are...I'll carry on wearing them until there are holes in the soles.

I definitely don't have too many stripy T-shirts.

I will definitely wear this draw full of crop tops one day.

I'm fat.

I wonder if my boyfriend will judge me for eating this chocolate bar.

This time i'm going to be really careful and not smudge my nail varnish.

I'm starting to worry the staff at the Chinese know my order before i've spoken.

I would go for a run but I only washed my hair this morning.

Where have all my hair grips gone?

I can't wait to take my bra off.

Why is Miranda Kerr so perfect?

Oh great, someone else is pregnant/engaged/getting married.

I've just spent HOW MUCH in Boots?

How do girls wear red lipstick? I look like a clown.

I really deserve this pizza...it's been a long day.

There's no point losing weight until I've had children.

Why does my baking never turn out like Mary Berry's?

I've not taken a photo for Instagram in nearly a week but nothing in my life is pretty enough to take a photo of.

I have no money.

Why does my makeup disappear the moment I step out the front door?

I reeeally need to wash my makeup brushes.

I hope my mum doesn't find out about my overdraft.

I hope my future husband likes the baby names I already have chosen.

Why are my eyebrows so uneven?

Reading Tips

• Read what you want, not what you think you should
• Always have a book with you
• If you enjoy a book, look for others by the same author
• Find your reading place (mine is usually snuggled on our corner sofa with a cup of tea and lots of blankets)
• Read before bed (it helps you sleep and will establish a reading routine)
• Reviews on Amazon are very helpful when choosing books
• Talk to people about books and offer suggestions of great reads
• You don't have to read an 'adult book'
• Never skip ahead
• If you're not interested in the story by a third of the way through...give up and move on

Monthly Round-up #3

In July...

• I graduated from university with a 2:2. This means that I am now a qualified primary school teacher and will be starting my NQT year in September. I've had a great time at uni but it's been pretty stressful and i'm glad to be leaving. My graduation day was lovely and I spent time with my family and boyfriend.
• I met my new class. On the 14th we had our transition day where the children meet their new teacher and spend a day in their new classrooms or new classes (there are 2 classes per year group so every 2 or 3 years we mix them up). I loved meeting my very chatty class and i've noticed a lot of big personalities already. I've also started decorating my classroom which is the most exciting thing of all!
• I bought a 50mm Canon lens. After months of deliberating on whether to buy it or not, I finally took the plunge after pay day and bought myself the loveliest lens of all time. It really does give a beautiful blurred background effect and I can't wait to start using it for blog posts. 
• My boyfriend James came to stay and we had an exciting adventure at Delamere forest. You can read more about that here. 

Next Month...

• I want to use my time wisely and start preparing for September
• I'd like to do another baking blog post
• I'm looking forward to a few events such as birthdays and James' nieces' dedication 

Banana Bread

You will need:

285g plain flour
1 tbs bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g caster sugar
110g butter
2 medium eggs
85ml milk
4 ripe bananas

• Before you start, preheat your oven to 180 degrees C.
• Sift your flour into a bowl and add the bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Set this aside for later.
• To another bowl, add your butter and sugar and mix until pale and fluffy.
• Mash your bananas with a potato masher or the flat side of a knife.
• Into the butter and sugar mix, add the mashed bananas, milk, eggs and vanilla extract.
• When mixed, slowly fold in the flour mixture until fully combined. It's ok if your mixture looks a bit lumpy, it's just the mashed bananas.
• Grease your tin and pour in the mixture. Put in the oven for about 20 minutes (or until your cake looks brown) at 180 degrees C and then turn the heat down to cook through the middle for another 30 minutes or longer. Check it's cooked by poking in a knife and if it comes out clean, it's done.

What makes you happy? #3

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Beautiful food photography

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Simple art prints

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Pretty stationery 

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Baggy shirts

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My new obsession with cacti 

What makes you happy?

Things that make me anxious

I first saw this post on The Private Life of a Girl's blog and realised how it really is the smallest things that can trigger anxiety. I am a teacher so I don't get nervous public speaking and i'm happy to lead an assembly in front of 400 pupils and 40 members of staff. However, if I go to a carwash you can be sure my heart will be racing, i'll be breathing rapidly and i'll be gripping the wheel tightly. These are some of the other things that make me anxious.

Airports

Odd numbers

Thinking I have offended someone

Having my hair tied up

Driving in wind

Driving on the motorway

Being tired
Being ill

Bad dreams
Fireworks

Forgetting to moisturise my face

Being late

Being early

Groups of men

Someone unexpectedly knocking on the door

My dog barking

Builders

Being away from my boyfriend

People I know reading my blog

Toilet paper in public bathrooms

Delamere Forest

I only get to see my boyfriend every couple of weeks so when I do, we like to make the most of it. James is a very outdoorsy person so I organised for us to go bike riding at Delamere Forest in Cheshire. We went on a Tuesday afternoon when it was quiet and hired out two mountain bikes for a few hours. Delamere Forest has a lake surrounded by lots of tracks for walking or bikes.

I look so awkward (robot arms) but this is me looking very happy stood on top of a railway bridge.

A very muddy boyfriend.

We took a break (demanded by me) and I took the chance to get some photos of our amazing surroundings. 

We stumbled across these homemade dens. Perhaps they have school trips or team building exercises here?

This area of trees made me feel like I was in Twilight.

We then finally found the lake. I love the reflections it gave.

And then a slightly bigger den made from a fallen tree.

We decided it was the perfect place to stop and have a few snacks (homemade lemon drizzle cake from the cafe).

Despite the "no climbing" signs he couldn't resist.

And we finally found the lake! I'll be honest, it looks a lot nicer in these photo than in real life as the overwhelming sound of geese and the hundreds of tree stumps ruined it a bit. Luckily the reflection of the blue sky made it look nicer in photos than it actually was.