Music of 2012

I love music, who doesnt? I love it so much that if it was taken away from me I dont think I would be able to function and I would definitely get sectioned and probably go very very mental! (none of your jokes about how im already mental please!)

I cant possibly say that I only like a certain genre because thats just too restrictive and specific!

At the beginning of the year I was given an ipod and the person who gave it to me had uploaded some music that he thought I would like. Some of that came off (mainly Glee stuff) but most of it stayed on and provides me with a lovely soundtrack on my way to and from work on most days (when im not cycling)

The first album I became obsessed with in 2012 was Doo wops and Hooligans - Bruno Mars. I am aware that this came out in 2011 but I didnt get it until 2012 so we shall just go with it!!
I mustve listened to the song Runaway Baby more times that ive eaten caramlised onion chutney this year and thats alot. I love the pace of the song and the layers, the riff, the drum and the police siren at the beginning really gets me moving, its hard not to start wiggling down the street. Its a really good, jump out of bed and shake it kinda song!! I urge you to try it, you'll be smiling from ear to ear! Its the kind of song that you dont really care what its about its just a brilliant catchy tune.

The song Count on Me is also a beaut, the lyrics make me think of a friend of mine. "if you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea, i'll sail the world to find you, if you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you cant see, i'll be the light to guide you" awwww such lovely lyrics. I think its one of those songs we can all relate to and it will make you think of your bestfriend and how much you love them! Its also got a beautiful melody, theres also a few harmonies in the bridge which are really soft but give these bits a bit of depth.

If you havent listened to the album, get hold of a copy and enjoy it!

Other albums ive been listening to this year include:
The Overtones - Higher, this is a mover and shaker too, my favourite tracks are Love Song, Keep me hanging on and Higher.

 


Emeli Sande - Our version of events, this one came out when I was going through a bit of a downer so I didnt like to listen to it too much as it made me feel worse but I really enjoy the songs Lifetime and Where I sleep. Read all about it Pt 3 is absolutely beautiful, im sure if you have heard it, you will agree.

Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials. I dont mind admitting that I used to really dislike her music but this album has been played so many times this year. My favourites are, only for a night, no light no light (oh emm geee I could listen to that 10 times in a row! and so loud I would probably lose some of my hearing) I think theres a running theme with alot of these songs, they are built up, layer upon layer and they just make me feel full of something, I dont know how to describe it! its as if I could burst! I dance around my room when no ones looking and just throw my arms around as if im playing the drums!
Moving swiftly on...

Foster the people - Torches, brilliant album from start to finish, I love every song. I used to listen to this if I had to walk to work last winter, it really annoys me when the songs are used on TOWIE haha! Pumped up kicks is probably their most famous song, but, there are so many gems on this little, beauty of an, album.

So thats the albums that I have been listening to this year.

Other songs that made my year (in no particular order):
Kelly Clarkson - Stronger
Laura Marling - Sophia
The Lovely Somethings - Lazy Daisy
Little Mix - Wings
Train - Drive By
Glee Cast - Shake it Out
Kyla La Grange - Been Better
Daley ft Jessie J - Remember me
Nicki Minaj - Starships

Im sure there were more!

Whats your song of the year?

A very mutters christmas to you

I hope you have all had a wonderful christmas day and you are all feeling happy, full of food and ready for bed.
Ive never been the biggest fan of christmas, i love getting everyone together and having a day spending time with family but i do often feel like a couped up chicken!
So the question is whats more important, presents or presence?
I guess christmas is a time where we remember people who arent here any more whether they have passed away or just moved on.
Alot of people I know tend to over spend and think that the bigger/better the present, the more they mean to the person who gave them the gift. I've never really been like that. As I have mentioned before, I like to get lovely gifts that my friends would appreciate, and I am generally appreciative of anything i am given big or small, expensive or cheap.
This year one of my favourite gifts is a heartshaped hanging decoration with the words "Do what makes your heart smile" written on it. Things like this help to remind me that I have choices, I can do all the things that make my heart smile with hardwork and determination.
Another gift i loved was a book called 365 days of happiness. Its full of ideas+quotes and just flicking through it seems to brighten my mood. I cant help thinking that my friends think im miserable but i really do love these little things!
I hope that santa was good to you and that you got to spend the day with your lovely friends and family, feel the love and be grateful, gratitude is a really good way of making you and someone else really happy xx




 

Extreme camping

Ever heard of Portaledge tents? I came across this crazy idea and I think it looks quite fun on paper, the reality of the situation, is that, I probably wouldn't sleep a wink in a tent that was hung from a tree!

 

It looks very magical though, a bit like the lost boys from neverland. Perhaps one night would be ok, just for the experience and to say "ive slept in a tree"

From high atop a Bavarian mountain summit in Pfronten, Germany  is Waldseilgarten. To stay here it will set you back $336 per person! For camping!!!
http://www.waldseilgarten-hoellschlucht.de/

The website is all in german but you can tell from the pics what its all about!!

 

 

 

 

 

Knit-ivity

Tis the season to wear jumpers faa la la la laaaa la la la laaaahhhh

I  actually dont own a christmas jumper because they just make me look like an absolute frump, however I very much appreciate the christmas jumper trend and thought i'd share some of my faves with you.

I Love the little robin!!

 

 

 

The Christmas jumper is a classive example of our generations love for "ironic" fashion.
Originating from the 1950's and appearing again in the early 1980s thanks to Bill Cosby and even more recently in 2001 by Colin Firth in Bridget Jones' Diary, it seems the christmas jumper is as much a part of the festive season as mulled wine and mince pies! 

 

Are there families that still dress up in christmas jumpers and I wonder if anyone has a nana that still makes them?

If you dont own one but you want one, the following websites are good places to start!!

www.amazon.co.uk/clothing www.loveclothing.com www.asos.com www.christmasjumpercompany.co.uk

 

You could also try charity shops or vintage shops, there are an array of garish festive jumpers in Purple Haze for men and women, if you are looking for one in york!

 

Lovely!

 

 

Accepted

Although I have no regrets It's not been a great year, I've spent alot of my time feeling pretty down and taking bach flower rescue remedy to help me get through the day sometimes. This is no way to live so luckily I have some super people in my life who really remind me of who I am.

I was talking to a friend about Vanity and it reminded me of when I was younger, I would spend quite alot of time pulling faces at myself in my parents mirrored wardrobe doors. My sister would always say I was vain and that I loved myself however I dont think this was necessarily true at that age.
I think what I was actually doing was getting to know who I was. I would sit there and stare at myself and I would repeat in my head things like "Hannah Ruth Mutters,this is who you are, you are always going to be you and you cant be anyone else" I used to want to look like a girl in my class, because she had straighter hair than me, but I wanted to keep my own personality because I enjoyed being me! haha this sounds so funny! When I started to get scared of my own reflection and the reality of "this is me" i'd go off and do something else! I told this story to my friend and her response was "thats cool you were searching for your identity so young, maybe thats why you feel you know yourself" and I think she is right.

I think this year I just got a little bit lost, and with the help of some wonderful individuals I remembered who I was and I accept it.

Acceptance is so important, Im sure lots of people feel like they arent accepted by other people but how many of us accept ourselves?
Ive recently come across this website called positively positive www.positivelypositive.com  I am known for having a winge so if I feel extra wingey or like I need a moan this website is great for making me feel more uplifted and positive.

Yesterday I read an article about Acceptance and it included the following tips so I thought i'd share them with you.

- Develop a connection to spirit
(I dont think they mean "spirits" I think they mean your own spirit and the spirit of people around you, or maybe even the christmas spirit? Just being silly!)

- Allow for quiet time (shhhh)
(I love doing this, a bit of time with your thoughts and a bit of relaxation, I have a few friends in my life who I can sit in a room with and not say anything to, and its so comfortable and I love it. People who talk all the time, take no time to listen to themselves or others, just be quiet and enjoy it)

- Forgive (Yourself and that Jerk)
(Im sure this is an american site!! I do think that forgiveness helps you stay more positive though, and is definitely a way of accepting that whatever has happened is now over and you shouldnt dwell on it, move on and forgive - AGREED)

- Welcome (and tend to) loving friendships or relationships
(This one is a good one, I wrongly judged someone and tarnished them with the same brush as someone else recently, only to realise that when I let a few barriers down and stopped worrying about things, I had miss-judged and decided to allow myself to just be happy, accept the compliments this person gives me and not sceptical)

- Release un-lovingfriendships or relationships (buh bye)
(This one doesnt necessarily apply to me as I dont have anyone in my life that I feel I need to cut off or get rid of at this very moment, theres a few on the edge though! Just kidding)

- Lay in the sun
(ahh I love this one, at around 2:30/3pm everyday the sun comes through my window at work and It cheers me up no end - get some vitamin D in your life!)

- Move your glorious body
(I think they mean dance, so give us a twirl! Dance around the kitchen with someone you live with, use the fish slice as a microphone and laugh!)

-Eat plants (chomp chomp, yum)

- Breathe deeply often
(This is interesting to me, I sigh, alot, anyone who has spent alot of time with me will know this, I dont do it conciously but I have recognised that I do it, Im assuming its a release of some sort)

- Smile
(I'm not a naturally smiley person, the corners of my mouth point downwards to people usually assume im just grumpy, which IS NOT TRUE! so sometimes I try to smile more, at random people, bus drivers, co-workers, my friends and family, its uplifting when you get one back!)

- REPEAT
(Yeh dont just do it once, do it over and over again!)
You may think this is a load of rubbish, but Im happy to give anything a go!
So, this year I have learned how to be more positive and accept myself, I think thats what Im trying to say!

I accept im an over thinker, I accept I need goals and I need to stick to them, I accept im a bit spoilt and can be really stroppy and irrational, I accept that I am really really silly to keep myself and others entertained, I accept that I have the most irritating and unruly head of hair, I accept that I am really horrible about the girl at work that I dont like because I dont like the fact she is so insecure she is fake and I accept that sometimes people wont like me either, I accept that I am not perfect and I accept that some people reading this will think i've gone a bit loopy!!

ACCEPT YOURSELF!

Audrey

Noooo not Audrey Hepburn! Today is/wouldve been my Grandma Audreys birthday, she died about 11yrs ago and every year on this day I like to remember her and what she was like. I know I talk about my Grandparents alot in this blog so I wont go on about it but I just thought i'd share a few memories of her with you.

She was very different to my other Grandma, she was a tall, strong and very ballsy woman who my mum would describe as "firm but fair" She was the kind of lady who you respected! You wouldnt mess with Grandma Audrey!

She was a very spontaneous lady and sometimes i see alot of her in my sisters character. Always ready to go somewhere and do something and a bit bossy! (sorry rachel) She joined us on our childhood holidays to Norfolk and she'd always be up for paddling in the sea with a tea towel on her head that she'd made into a hat to keep her head from getting sunburnt!

Grandma Audrey was the kind of person who would go to a hotel and take all the biscuits, tea, sugar, coffee and in her kitchen she has a basket full of them! She'd say "well ive paid for them so im having them"

I remember going to see Fame and Me and My girl with her at the theatre and she told me to leave my sweet wrapper and rubbish on the floor for the cleaners "it'll give them something to do" she'd say.

My sister and I would stay at her house and one of us would get the real bed and the other would get the camp bed, Grandma Audrey sat on the edge of the camp bed once and it collapsed and to a 9 and 11yr old it was absolutely hilarious! In the room was a shelf full of the secret seven and the famous five books, my uncles football trophies and some beano and bunty books that were left over from their childhoods, its strange how much I remember, I can even remember the smell of the house, it was "soapy" like most grandmas houses but it seems to be a nostalgic smell, ive smelt it in marks and spencer on a few occasions!

Anyway, I just thought id share a little bit about her and my memories of her and I shall raise a glass to her later on and wish her a happy birthday, cheers xx

Gifting

I love buying gifts but when I have quite a few to buy, I panic! Luckily I dont have a big family, and I dont have lots of friends to buy for so I get the pleasure of being able to put alot of thought into what to buy the lucky chosen ones! I have to buy for, about, 10 people, all together, which isnt too bad, in my opinion!

Some are easy to buy for, easily pleased with whatever you buy them, others are so difficult I get to the point where I feel like just buying them ANYTHING to tick them off the list, but then I get that feeling where I feel really bad for buying them something they might not like and I dont like wasting money or being known as a rubbish gifter!

Most of the friends I have to buy for have similar taste to me, with the exception of one, but that person has so many hobbies and interests and a whole array of likes and loves that they have become the easiest person to buy for! - I have to stop myself from going overboard, they could potentially become very spoiled!

Trawling the shops and not knowing what to buy is a burden, its stressful and theres no need for it!

Tips:

LISTEN, dont just hear what people say, if they say they like something, really listen and see if you can get ideas about what someone might need or want and get ideas that way. For example, I heard my friend say she wanted a toast rack, just as a passing comment in a conversation, I remembered what she said and bought her one for her birthday, she liked it, mission accomplished!!

LOOK
Have a look at what people have in their homes, what kind of dvds are on the shelf, do they have lots of photos around the place, have they got a certain colour scheme running through their living rooms, do they have favourite artists/designers. What's their style? take inspiration from this. You'll probably find that you come across things they would like more often, when you are in shops or browsing the internet.

Secret Santa or the £10 challenge are also popular ways of making sure everyone gets something. I've never been the biggest fan of Secret Santa, mainly because i'm picky and if I dont like something that someone has bought me I feel bad and annoyed that im stuck with something rubbish that someone clearly hasnt put any thought into and afterall "its the thought that counts"

Heres a few cheap and cheerful secret santa ideas!

Chocolate Spoon moulds, great for stirring in some hot milk and making hot chocolate fun

Spicy Chocolate

Egg Cup and Soldier cutter














Getting personal is another nice way to gift, especially if you have friends with unusual names or there are children you buy for with unusual names that you may not find in gift shops on the bedroom door signs or the mugs. Look on handmade and bespoke websites.

You can buy lovely santa sacks on Amazon or you could get crafty and make your own stocking.

www.notonthehighstreet.com
www.etsy.co.uk
www.seekandadore.com

Gift Responsibly!

x

Holidays are coming... Holidays are coming

Winter is just around the corner, and the only way to spend it is wrapped up in lots of layers or by hibernating inside and entertaining yourself at home!

This weekend i've seen every department store Christmas advert (Personal fave is the John Lewis advert) and the Coca Cola advert which means tis, officially, the season to be jolly (fa la la la laaaaa), but im not quite in the spirit yet, its only the beginning of November!! I, personally, think that christmas is drawn out too long, as soon as it hits October, BHS get all their tat out and as Halloween and Bonfire night breeze on by we are bombarded with everything festive, as if santa came and vomitted all over town.

I am led to believe that Advent Calendars are most peoples favourite way to start celebrating this time of year. I dont remember getting advent calendars with chocolates in as a child, I just remember there being a picture behind each window and im sure my sister and I took it in turns to open the windows. I wouldnt mind, but im sure I wasnt a deprived child, from a deprived family! I often felt a bit like I may've missed out but after tasting cheap advent calendar chocolate I quickly decided I wasnt that bothered!!

This year I have decided to make the Advent Calendar into Advent Bunting, I have bought some sweet shop paper bags with christmas trees on and i've painted some wooden pegs gold and will attach 25 bags to some string and fill them with treats or christmas jokes/riddles/festive surprises for my housemates. Im hoping this turns into a fun little treat and gets us all in the christmas spirit and may even brighten up those cold dark mornings when we have to go to work!

You can buy the Sweet Shop paper bags on ebay, I got mine for about £1.50 for 100 bags, the pegs cost me £1 from poundworld for 48, and I will probably get some treats from there too,  you can get jokes/riddles online and write them on little cards which are also quite cheap, so its cost effective festive fun meaning more money to spend on real pressies!!

Stop! Wait a minute Mr Postman ...

Does anyone still handwrite letters to their friends and family? Do any of you receive post that isn't bills? I absolutely love getting a hand written letter or writing one for someone else. I understand that email is quicker and easier and the information you divulge in a letter is "old" by the time the person receives it but I, personally, think its one of the most wonderful ways to communicate with friends.

I left university about 6 years ago and when I left I kept in touch with my best friend Kelly by writing letters and popping them in the post to one another. I came across one that was in a box when I moved house a few months ago, it was written on green and yellow paper and in an orange envelope, even the fact is was on coloured paper made it more interesting than receiving the same information by email. Its a funny read! Now she lives in Dubai and we communicate on whatsapp everyday because its easier and quicker, we mainly talk about what food we are eating that day or what we want to do when we grow up, but I have her address so I am planning on putting something in writing soon which i'm sure she will enjoy!

I used to write to my Grandma because she felt the same way about handwritten letters, I haven't lived in the same town as my grandma since I was 6 so writing to her was always a fun way of communicating and my mum used to remind me to do it especially after birthdays and Christmas to thank her for whatever she had given me. I used to have to do it in pencil so if I made a mistake I could rub is out and then when i'd finished it I could go over the pencil with a pen! Now i'm a rebel and I use pen straight away! When I moved to the middle east she would send me copies of "Shout" magazine because I couldn't buy it over there and she'd always stick a letter in to tell me her news. My dad decided to buy her a fax machine so that we could communicate faster, which was still quite nice because I could still handwrite the letter it just wouldn't take 3 weeks to get to her! She was, almost definitely, my favourite penpal!

I suppose people sometimes associate letter writing with love, ever written a love letter? even to a friend? Love letters don't have to be about romantic love, even just a quick letter to tell someone you are thinking about them can be a really lovely thought. I used to have a game with a friend called "name 3 reasons" It came from a TV programme called Married Single Other where the couple would say to one another "name 3 reasons why you love me" and they came out with really silly, but lovely things to say to each other. If you don't have a partner do it with a friend, you might get some really surprising stuff out of them, or just silly answers that make you laugh, we wrote them in letters once and stuck them on our fridge as a reminder, I think I still have mine somewhere.

If you have a friend who has hobbies, make your letters themed, if they have favourite colours, use that colour pen, make it fun and enjoy it. If you aren't very creative, just go to paperchase and pick out a nice card that is blank inside, you can get some lovely pens in there too, the pen is also very important! Showing gratitude or doing something for someone else will lift your spirits during these cold winter months, and when you get one back you will probably feel like this ... 

The next time you think about emailing your friend who lives overseas, or writing a birthday card to someone, get yourself a lovely pen and some nice paper and handwrite it! 

These are good pens!!

xx

Continental breakfast

This morning I decided to make croissants, I thought it would be really nice if I shared my recipe.

To make the pastry you need...
TO BUY JUST ROLL dont faff about with making pastry, its saturday morning, and we are hungry

The "Just roll croissants" come in a tube and cost about £1.50. You roll out the pastry and seperate the triangles that have been scored.

Roll them up into the croissant shape and put in the oven to bake for 10-15 mins.

Serve with bonne maman strawberry conserve (the best, in my opinion) a mug of yorkshire tea and some fresh orange.

Not only was it really easy it was super fun! A great way to start the weekend.

It's a boot-y call

Most of us know the best time to get a good boot bargain is "out of season", but if you're a bit of a fashionista you'll probably be less inclined to buy boots that are "sooooooo last season!!"

I love shopping for boots when it hits autumn, I like to look for a good pair that my mum would approve of, ones that will "keep my feet dry" and will last! I also love ones that just look pretty and don't cost the earth, I decided to put together a collage of ones i've seen that are, both, practical and pretty.

I'll list where they are from aswell so if you like them you can find them and own them!

                                                                         "Jacqueline" Rachel Zoe £495 www.kurtgeiger.com

Valentine, KG Kurt Geiger £190www.kurtgeiger.com

Ugg Australia Carmine wedges£140www.office.co.uk 

Brown Leather Riding Boots
www.dorothyperkins.com

£90 (BARGAIN!)

Primark!

Tan leather wedge ankle boots - Catapillar
www.debenhams.co.uk £100

Platform Ankle Boot, Red, Zara Woman, £39.99 (can you believe your eyes?)

Flat Jewelled Ankle Boot, Zara Women £119

Its a shame we only have 2 feet and can only wear one pair at a time!

If only I were an octopus!

x

Energy Boost

Do you grab coffee to wake you up in the morning or go for a red bull/food for an afternoon energy boost to get you through to 5pm?

Have you ever thought about getting energy naturally through exercises, if you only do one energy boosting exercise a day, let this be the one

The Thymus Thump

We have a number or pressure points on our bodies, have you ever felt at the end of your teather and rubbed the palm of your hand on your head? did it make you feel slightly better? thats because our foreheads have a number of pressure points which allow us to gain energy (accupuncture also uses these points) you also have 2 at the back of your head/top of your neck which do the same thing.

Your thymus is the point at the top of your breast bone.

The next time you think you need an energy boost, why not try this instead.

Find your Thymus (usually about and inch below the "u shaped" dip in your collerbone) and make a fist with your hand or use the end of your index and middle fingers.

Gently tap the thymus, do 3 sets of 3 and take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Think about people you love, things that make you happy and things you are thankful for.

This exercise opens up your heart chakra. It also helps boost your immune system and enables you to feel more energised and powerful and increases strength and vitality.

Give it a go, you'll feel blummin brilliant!

Mel'han'zane

Ok, enough with the silly blog titles! When I was in Italy I ate traditional italian melanzane and I loved it mucho mucho.

Last weekend I went to a Vegan restaurant in York, Goji, and I had an Augergine Millefuille which, im assuming, is french! It was very similar to a melanzane but had potato as a base and small piece of puff pastry on the top and used ricotta instead of mozerella. It was delicious.

I decided, tonight, I would make my own version by adapting it slightly again.

I cut up an Aubergine and fried it in extra virgin olive oil until it was soft.
Then I added red onion and a chopped up tomato to the pan. I let this cook for about 5 mins, on gas
It may take longer on electric.

I added spinach and some mixed herbs and then layered it up in a lasagne dish filling the middle of each layer with riccotta cheese and poured a tomato sauce over the top.

I popped it in the oven for 7 mins on 150 degrees so that the sauce and ricotta heated up then served it with some bread.

Bellissima! a really quick, simple and tasty dinner!

"hey pesto"

If you don't like pesto, you probably wont read this, so I shall say "hi" and "bye" to you, if you do like pesto then come in, have a seat, get comfy and enjoy!

Pesto facts:
Pesto originates from Northern Italy, more specifically the Liguria region (I like specific)

The ingredients, in a traditional pesto, are ground in a circular motion using a pestle and mortar

Ingredients:
Dried basil
Parmeggiano, reggiano and pecorino
Extra virgin olive oil
salt

It's a great thing to have in the cupboard for when you want something quick.

Recipes:

Turkey pesto salad with cashews

I like to make salads quite interesting. I tend to throw in lots of things aswell as the standard lettuce toms and cucumber.

When I make this salad I cook the turkey cover it in pesto and keep it warm in the pan.

For the salad I use spinach rather than mixed leaves (personal preference) rose tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, grated carrot, cashews and roasted sweet potatoes.

This is a lovely warm salad, full of flavour and the crunch of the cashews add to the different textures.

Pesto and pine nut pasta

Another simple recipe, If you use a frusilli or orrechiette pasta, the pesto tends to gather in the creases and folds, yum!

I usually add some cherry tomatoes and some pine nuts to make it more interesting and the flavour of the pine nuts is delicious.

Mozzerella and Basil sandwich

Pick a good bread for this one, standard white is a no no, you need a thick and fairly dry bread for example a ciabatta or maybe even a french baguette.

Spread the pesto on the bread and layer on milky mozzerella, slices of beef tomatoes and a few fresh basil leaves and "hey pesto" a deliciously flavoursome sandwich.

Feel free to share your pesto recipes!

"She puts the Ho in Hosiery!"

I LOVE AUTUMN ... its my fave season, mainly because I get to wear tights! I love tights, all different colours and patterns I think they can easily make an outfit more interesting!

I bought 3 pairs in marks and spencer today which are purple grey and black, staple colours, and it was 20% off BARG!

Marks and Spencer is probably my favourite place to shop for tights that I can wear at work and woolly tights for more casual occasions.

Red or Dead have a brilliant range of tights that are a bit more "sexy" you'd probably not want to wear them at work unless your work involves entertaining men!

Hobbs also have a lovely selection, which are surprisingly reasonable with regards to price.

Brighten up your LBD and the grey muggy days with some hosiery ... happy days!