Monday, 24 June 2013

A most Egg-cellent idea!


A most Egg-cellent idea!


I was delighted to find a small Stable selling fresh eggs whilst out for a drive on a nearby country road. The reason was I had actuall got lost, belive it or not but had it not been for my terrible sense of direction I would never have found this 'egg-cellent' place for fresh eggs. What I like most about it is that it holds an honesty box/ or hole rather. 

I have now started to come here for my weekly eggs and they are so much more affordable too. Support Small holdings by buying eggs directly from these places.










 The eggs taste so much better when a little tlc as been given to the Chickens. You can taste the difference. The yolk has a wonderful colourful orange and has a deliciously soft buttery taste to it.


My daughter made a lovely egg on toast  for the first time for lunch. It was the best lunch we have had in a long time!


I came across this article on line and thought it may come in handy and another reason to keep fresh eggs in stock at home.

Raw eggs can ease a hangover
Salvation for hangover sufferers could lie in downing raw eggs as these contain a chemical ingredient called N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). It is thought that NAC boosts the body's ability to mop up destructive chemicals called free radicals which build up in the liver as enzymes break down alcohol.
Free radicals are normally destroyed by a naturally occurring enzyme called glutathione but reserves can be low after periods of heavy drinking.



Friday, 21 June 2013

Make your own Blue Solar Water.



Blue Solar Water



We often spend a fortune on purchasing bottled Mineral Water. When I attended a Holistic workshop I met some amzing people who told be about the benefits of  Blue Solar Water and how you can so easily make your own. All you need is a blue glass bottle and a little belief!!

I kept my blue glass bottle by Ty Nant water. Not only does it give my kitchen a lovely colour the water does taste that little bit sweeter too. 

Bottoms up!!

Blue Solar Water written by Kat Miller   


The Sun is the Ultimate Cleanser and Refresher

There is no substitute for the Sun.
The Sun is life-giving and life-enhancing.
You cannot get the freshness clothes hung to dry in the Sun
from a clothes dryer, even with chemical additives and fragrances.


The Color Blue

Blue is the color for truth, devotion, calmness, and sincerity.
Blue is the color for meditation and spiritual expansion.
Blue is for peace, faith, aspiration, creative expression.
Blue relaxes the mind.
Blue helps dissolve nervousness and stress.
Blue is the color of the throat chakra and is therefore the color for communication.
Blue Solar Water can be refreshing and healing.


Glass

Glass is a dense material, and as such as low absorption and outgassing.
Sun rays can penetrate glass.
Though Sun rays can also penetrate plastic, plastic tends to leach into water, more so with heat, increasing pseudoestrogens in the water, which mimic estrogens and disrupt the endocrine system.


How to Make Blue Solar Water

1.


Place culinary water (tap, filtered, artisan, bottled, etc.) in a blue glass bottle.
You can use any color of blue glass bottle from the deep cobalt blue to a light cyan blue.
Search “blue beer bottles” to find blue glass bottles online.
You may find water sold in blue glass bottles at some stores.
2.

Cap the bottle with plastic, cork or cloth, any material but metal.
You do want to put a lid or some cover over the mouth of the bottle, to keep bugs out.
Do not use a metal cap.
3.





Place the bottle of water outside during daylight hours for at least one hour.
The bottle does not need to be in direct sunlight, but does need to be where sunlight gets to it.
You can make blue solar water on a cloudy day.
You can make blue solar water on a shaded patio.
You cannot make solar water through a glass window. A glass window pre-filters the sunlight before it hits the blue glass, hindering the process.
As long as the blue glass bottle of water is outside, where it is receiving light from the Sun (even if it is in shadows, so long as it is not completely blocked from receiving any light), it will create Blue Solar Water.
4.


The longer you leave the water outside in the sunlight, the sweeter it gets.
You can leave the water outside all day.
You can put the water out at night or before dawn to catch the first morning sun rays, which seems to raise the energy vibration of the Blue Solar Water.
5.

I do not recommend making Blue Solar Water using incandescent lights.
Though some have recommended incandescent lights as an alternative to sunshine for making Blue Solar Water, I feel this water is inferior and is not truly something I would call Blue Solar Water.
6.


Once made, you can store Blue Solar Water in any container you wish.
It is fine to store the Blue Solar Water in plastic, or any other container you wish, once you have made it.
It is also fine to use a metal cap on a bottle of Blue Solar Water in storage, once you have taken it out of the sun.
7.


Add Blue Solar Water to other water last to make it all Blue Solar Water.
Fill a cup, pitcher, etc., with water then top it off with Blue Solar Water to make it all Blue Solar Water.
The Blue Solar Water should be the last water added to make it Blue Solar Water.

Ideas for Blue Solar Water Use

*

Drink Blue Solar Water for hydration and refreshment, to help remove negative Karma, to help remove toxins and for healing
*

Gargle with Blue Solar Water
*

Use Blue Solar Water for cooking to improve the taste of foods
*

Bathe in Blue Solar Water to feel relaxed and refreshed, and help remove toxins from your energy field
*

Use Blue Solar Water to splash your face for a rejuvenated feeling
*

Use Blue Solar Water to water indoor plants


*



Friday, 26 April 2013

Beauty is only skin deep but it is a good place to start...

Beauty is only skin deep but it is a good place to start...

My skin care regime has always been very important to me. If I don't look after my skin I don't feel good living in it. I hate the feeling of feeling dry and dehydrated, the same as don't like the feeling an oily  T-zone. If I do not look after my skin I get ugly blackheads and little spots which i can't resist to have a go at. Sorry, I know it's disgusting but I kind of get the feeling the majority of us do it, when no one is looking.

I remember my mother spent ages in front of the mirror using different lotions and potions and I was always fascinated by it and admired her devotion to this routine and I am sure she still does it. And somehow this has gladly been passed on to me.

I love trying out new skin care ranges and preferably leaning towards the more organic and simpler ranges. There is so much unnecessary ingredients added into these creams for whatever reason. I love the +Dr Hauschka range,   +Weleda , +Neal's yard   facial creams and remedies. These may be a lot more expensive than the average high street range but the results are so much better and healthier for you skin.


So when I came across a brand called +Arbonne  I was very interested in trying them out. They are not stocked on the shelves of your local supermarket but are sold through social networking. In a similar way to Avon where there is local representative that can either host an evening or coffee morning presenting the products and you can then get to try them on first hand. I met these +Arbonne International - Independent Consultant  ladies at a few different events and it is nice to see how it is becoming a more recognisable brand. The product are suppose to be all vegan approved and only contain the healthiest of ingredients. I know I haven't read every single ingredient on the labels and nor would I actually know what they all were but from just trying them on my face I am very happy with the results.


 

My bathroom contains a wide range of creams and potions as I get such joy in trying them out. I like experimenting and find it hard to stick to one brand. I know the more organic range is better for you but with a large family we go trhough a lot so it is not always possible to keep it purely organic and natural. But where I am strict with these organic makes is for my face and the body. Same goes for the rest of the family. The ones that wash off straight  away like shower gel and Shampoo away we try to use lesser harsh on the skin brands and we love Aussie Haircare range as we are rather a hairy family!







So why not  have a different kind of coffee morning and get in touch with your local +Arbonne representative.



Monday, 15 April 2013

Postage and Packaging






Postage and Packaging




I have recently started to re-use my old paper bags. I love browsing through EBay shop and putting items up for sale to get a little pocket money. But rather than saving it it seems so much easier to spend it on something else especially on line. 

The thing that I noticed was that there is so much wastage on all this postage and packing. I therefore decided on the idea to re-use the old paper bags that have that has been sitting in my cupboard for so long waiting for a better occasion to be use. 

I somehow am a little bit precious about these bags. I love prints and typefaces, materials and the whole idea of how something is packaged fascinates me. So what better use than to use these lovely bags for when I have sold items on EBay and recycle something old into something practical and new.   


 

  1. Simply unfold the bag and stitch up one side of the open edges with double stitching.
  2.  Slip your item inside or maybe even put it in a plastic bag before you put it into the paper bag. (Depending on the thickness of the paper).
  3. Then close the bag and hold firmly the open edge and stitch along the other side, two times.
  4. Trim down the excess paper and there you have a lovely looking parcel!




And who would not be smiling when they get one of these!

Happy packing! 


Never finish the new year with laundry in the basket.




 Never finish the new year with laundry in the basket.







With this lovely sunshine we had yesterday and this morning I decided to hang out my laundry on the line as it is so much quicker and easier to dry them that way. It feels so wonderful to have them hanging there in the sun, reflecting the light back into the house. I also love the smell of freshly laundered clothes. Especially the sheets. They feel and smell so healthy. The small pleasures of a house wife!

With all this washing going on I came across this Old Wife's Tale on washing.
"Never finish the new year with laundry in the basket. Otherwise you will never get to the bottom if it for the rest of the year." That explains it, my laundry basket if forever full. Here I am thinking that we are a big family with lots of clothes but maybe, just maybe I have been doing it wrong. I have got til the end of this year to practise and get it right.

TTFN,

 A X




Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Tuesday is pancake day, again!

Tuesday is pancake day, again!

We love pancakes in this house especially the kids. Pancakes are one of those meals that can be made quickly, any time and any day.

We have them with traditional lemon and sugar. We also add a little more interesting topping on some occasions with fetac cheese, lambs lettuce, a nice crab stick sallad, the combinations are endless. The chocolate Philadelphia always goes down a treat with the little ones.



 







Pancakes are one of our staple diets in the home. Simple ingredients that we always have stocked up on.


What is your super duper meal that suits any day in your household?

Happy cooking!

The Spring Cleaning Continues

 Spring Cleaning Continues


We are still on Easter Holidays and I am running out of ideas of what to do with the kids. Normally we have the days filled up with activities, play dates, run in the park, crafts and so on. However with the British rainy weather we mainly stay indoors. As we normally are rather full on here, it is quite nice to chill out and just stay in the home and potter about with whatever needs to be dealt with. The only thing is there is not much time for tidying and clearing up. As soon as I have cleared one room I just have to walk out of there and come back five minutes later and it looks like a hurricane has gone through it. 

 
photo:  www.woodchipandmagnolia.co.uk


I look at all these wonderful sites and blogs on organised living. How do you keep it so organised. Is this order kept all the time or is there just a little quick tidy up done before the snapshot gets taken? Or do you guys not have any children to rearrange the nicknacks that lie about. Maybe you are better and stricter than I am?  Don't touch, means don't touch. Whilst here in this house 'Don't touch!' seems to mean not to touch right now while I am looking but please go ahead, trash the room when I am gone.

My house; kids room ages 4 and 6 yrs

I need advice. I am forever picking things up, forever folding clothes back in the drawers, wardrobes, sorting toys, my stuff, husbands stuff, cooking, cleaning and the only little bit of joy I get is to sit by the computer and empty my thoughts for a few minutes. Or maybe I should forget the blogging and emails etc to concentrate on my messy home. But who really enjoys this clearing away all the time. In reality I can not stand it. I have come to a point where I just loathe it and don't know where to start.

I try to see what urgently needs doing and the rest just gets put off until later........later when I am fed up of looking at it and out into the rubbish bin it goes. We still have our wonderful skip on the drive so for the moment my joy is chucking anything that gets in my way out of a window and to hear that smash as it lands! Ahhh the sound of clearing out is great!


My beloved skip


My 9 year old daughters room.

The thing is with keeping order in a household of 6 people, everybody has to follow. But for some reason this does not work. I get my regular clear out, throw away and sorting and organising moods and emphasise on the importance of keeping things in order but who seem to care? I care!......

 The junk room/ dressing room.

So look at these embarrassing pictures. Is my house, the only house that is in chaos and full of clutter? Really, be honest! What advice do you have to give me? I would love to have a house keeper and cook. Oh wouldn't that just be wonderful. I am happy to play about with my little troop til hearts content but when I have my duties to carry out throughout the day I am just worn out by the thought of it. 

One can only dream of a beautiful house with tidy rooms, if not even a minimalist look. But for now I have to address my mess in due course.

Time to wash up some dishes and start preparing for dinner. Where has the day gone?

Thanks for stopping by, Ann 





Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Membership of acceptance.




theWI INSPIRING WOMAN 



Dear reader,

I am now an official member of the National Federation of Women's Institute. My card welcome letter came through the post. I am really excited and hope that I can make use of the membership by attending courses and local meetings.



It's strange but as you get older it is harder and more difficult to get to know new people. I have always enjoyed the company of others and am genuinely interested in people, their culture, backgrounds, family life, luxury life, hard working life, leisurely life. We all come from different walks of life and yet we seem to be striving for more or less the same thing, which is fulfilment and inner peace to some extent. We all want to fit in, either by a way of joining in or just to be accepted for who we are.

I thought by joining my local WI I will get to know some familiar faces and and share my story with. It feels good to have a purpose and a little push to get out of that comfort zone and make yourself known. And maybe there is someone out there who feels just like me.....I want to get to know more people and I would like to make a difference. May it be in the community or to make a difference in someones life by offering a friendship. I understand one gets on better with others while with some you only may meet up for this, that and the other and some, you just cross paths when you need to. But it still intrigues me as and when this all happens and it feels almost as if it has a purpose in just 'being' there at a particular point in time.



Do I make any sense at all? Some days I feel I have totally lost the plot. Other days I am on the right track and other days, you just ride along and see what happens.

So how has your day been? I genuinely want to know and would love to hear your story!

Best wishes and lots of love, Ann

 

Saturday, 30 March 2013

Spring Cleaning for the soul.


 

Dear reader,

It is that time of year where one gets the urge to just rid the house of old stuff that has been accumulated over the years. Since we moved in, over 3 years ago into the house where we are now, we still have some unpacked boxes out in the garage. My husband and I decided to tackle the multiplying rubble of 'stuff' once and for all and rented an enormous skip. Skips are are rather expensive these days so we asked the neighbour if they wished to go halves with us on the cost and share the the joy of getting rid of rubbish. Not wanting to suggest that our neighbours have lots of unsightly rubbish in their house but simply telling them of our plan to clear out our stuff and knowing that the neighbours have been decorating  I thought they might want to throw away some of that rubble which has been littered in their garden for months now. Not, that I am being a nosey neighbour and counting the days either. But one notices these things.....



However, we tackled the mountain of old books that are not worth any money to us or a charity shop, old records, art work, toys, clothes and general useless things we've kept hold  of for the sake of thinking that we may need them one day. That 'one-day' came yesterday and I had had enough and just wanted to de-clutter the garage which is massive, the size of a double. It took us all day and we are still not done. So far there is light at the end of the bloked up tunnel and I can visualise the garage being turned into a studio space for my future crafy ideas and I guess to make room for more stuff to store for  my future may-be useful pile of stuff. I have really run out of names for all this stuff so 'stuff' it will remain and be named. 


I also decided to tackle a corner of the back of the garden that has been used as a dumping ground for old shelves, bits of wood, buckets, boxes and other bits and bobs. The difference it has made to the size of the garden. I am now getting excited about that little space, where I imagine vegetables growing with possible a few little Hens clucking around and will make themselves at home there. I will first have to completely clear out the corner and gradually plan my lay out and slowly implement little boxes of soil for my veg and then when it looks good  I will hint and mention to my husband that "Would it not look lovely with some real chickens in this space?"....I have to work on that as he sees it as a bit of a chore as well as a bit mad and do I really want to look after more 'stuff'?  And of course he is right but hey, we have plenty of chaos in the home, why not add to it?!

The result may not be so visable to the observer but I know the hard work, sweat and achy back that has been put into the clearing up and because of that I feel rather pleased with myself. Whils being out in the garden tackling the old fence that has been left to rot I have happily practised my karate kicking technique with my metal toe-cap, walking boots on. The sheer joy of permission to destruction of old crap is delightfully rewarding! 

It's funny how one feels this heavy invisible weight has been taken off and once spirit lifted just from removing this burden of crap that we don't use.
 


Since I am also interested in the tradition of things I found this.

 History of Spring Cleaning

It has been suggested that the origins of spring cleaning date back to the Iranian Norouz, the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring[citation needed]. Iranians continue the practice of "khooneh tekouni" which literally means "shaking the house" just before the new year. Everything in the house is thoroughly cleaned, from the drapes to the furniture. A similar tradition is the Scottish "New Year's cleaning" on Hogmanay (December 31), a practice now also widespread in Ireland, New Zealand, and to North America.

Another possibility of the origin of spring cleaning can be traced to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time memorial feast of Passover (Hebrew: פסח pesach‎). In remembrance of the Jews' hasty flight from Egypt following their captivity there, during the seven-day observance of the Passover memorial or remembrance, There are strict prohibitions against eating or drinking anything which may have been leavened or fermented with yeast (Exodus 12:15, 19). Jews are not only supposed to refrain from leavened foodstuffs (known in Hebrew as חמץ chametz), they are expressly commanded to rid their homes of even small remnants of chametz for the length of the holiday (Exodus 12:15). Therefore, observant Jews conducted a thorough "spring cleaning" of the house, followed by a traditional hunt for chametz crumbs by candlelight (called bedikat chametz [Hebrew: בדיקת חמץ]) on the evening before the holiday begins.

In North America and northern Europe, the custom found an especially practical value due to those regions' continental and wet climates. During the 19th century in America, prior to the advent of the vacuum cleaner, March was often the best time for dusting because it was getting warm enough to open windows and doors (but not warm enough for insects to be a problem), and the high winds could carry the dust out of the house. For the same reason, modern rural households often use the month of March for cleaning projects involving the use of chemical products which generate fumes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_cleaning

I hope you get as much joy out of your Spring Clean as I have, which is something I normally find very boring and I am sure I am not the only one thinking this.  

If it's not for the house then  happy spring cleaning of the soul!

Thursday, 28 March 2013

Floating Eggs Are Bad!



Old Wives Tale of the day.


Floating eggs are bad. If you get a bowl of water and place an egg in it the egg will either lie flat along the bottom which indicates it is fresh.

If it stands up at and angle but is still on the bottom it is older and it is still edible but recommended for cooking and baking.

However, if the egg floats, throw away,  it is off. 

Now, the thing is I do not think I have ever seen a floating egg as we eat them by their dozen, well before their expiry date, so the last part I have yet to experince.




I decided this year to decorate some eggs by boiling them and then let the kids decorate the eggs with stickers and plastic shrinking wrappers. The result was rather successful for a fist attempt. Quick and easy and fairly easy to tidy away too.



I have found this wonderful little Easter felt  basket from a shop called Tiger Stores which sells all kinds of dinky gadgets to handy and practical household items at super bargain prices.




Easter traditions? How do you do yours?

Happy Easter!!

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

It's all in the name.




theWI INSPIRING WOMAN


 
Dear Reader,

On Monday night I decided to attend a first meeting to my local WI (Women's Institute). It is an organisation that was founded during the First World War and was set up to encourage women to become more involved in production of food. Since then the aims of the organisation have broadened and has become more involved in being a helping hand and support for it's local community.




I had read a little about WI in Magazines like Country Living of women who love to bake and make things the old fashion way and have kept traditions alive by teaching others of their great skill and knowledge. I admire the enthusiasm and passion these people have and how they use all that energy to create so many wonderful things.

Monday's meeting was about Graphology. In a nutshell our handwriting reveals a lot about what kind of people we are. Depending on their writing leaning to the left or the right indicates ones social interest or the importance of family life. If the lettering is sharp and pointy, then you may have an aggressive and determined approach as to someone who has a softer flow may reveal a more gentler side. A persons health is even indicated in the writing. This was all absolutely fascinating. Of course I could not leave without having my own writing analysed.



According to my  writing and signature I am a very determined person who firmly stand my ground and will not be easily pushed over in a debate. I know what I want and will argue til point is proven. The enlarged first capital letter of my signature shows I am very family orientated and feel family values are very important. A lot more was said but I simply can't remember it all. However the speaker did say that these are very crude interpretations and should not be taken too seriously. A lot more research and knowledge goes in to it than just jotting down a few words down onto a piece of paper. To sum it all up, I think I'm described as bit as an intimidating dragon?!

Have you ever had your signature analysed. What did you think and did you agree with what was said?


Tuesday, 26 March 2013







Thank you for dropping by. 

This blog is a little taster and insight into my world of making and creating. It is a little corner of the World Wide Web where I can jot down my thoughts, dreams and aspirations.

This is my first attempt to set up a blog page and I have a long way to go to get the hang of this new modern technology. So please be patient with me if things seem a little unpolished and unclear to begin with.

I have always been one to keep a diary of my thoughts and memoires but the old fashion way of using pen to paper. I tried to refuse the idea of using the computer for my diary keeping but with today’s busy life this seems to be the quickest way to take note of my over crowded ideas. As I am very much a thinker and not enough time to become a do:er I hope by sharing my thoughts to an audience I may become a little more organised, disciplined and keep my word, so to speak, as to what I have set out to do.

I am a mother of four wonderful children ranging from 9 ¾ years, nearly 6 yrs, 3 ½ yrs to a very cheeky and active 18 month old toddler. I share these inspiring kids with my husband who is my rock and soul mate and who keeps me grounded when my imagination runs a little wild. 

To add to the chaos there is also the dog the Labradoodle. 

You could say we have a very lively household.